Resource Directory.indd

Transcription

Preventing Abuse
of Persons with
Disabilities:
An Inventory of
Training Materials
Preventing Abuse of Persons with Disabilities: An Inventory of Training Materials
Copyright © 2004, The Alberta Committee of Citizens with Disabilities (ACCD), incorporated 1973
Sections of this paper may be reproduced with acknowledgement to The Alberta Committee of
Citizens with Disabilities
While all reasonable care has been taken in the preparation of this publication, no liability is
assumed for any errors or omissions
This study was made possible by funding from the Wild Rose Foundation.
Published and distributed by:
The Alberta Committee of Citizens with Disabilities
707, 10339 124 Street NW
Edmonton, Alberta T5N 3W1
Phone: (780) 488-9088 (Edmonton)
Fax: (780) 488-3757 TTY: (780) 488-9090
Email: [email protected]
Web Site: www.accd.net
Acknowledgements
ACCD would like to thank the many individuals and organizations that have supported us in
the development of this inventory.
In our initial search for materials, more than a dozen organizations from across the
country shared the materials they use or pointed us in the right direction for finding further
materials. These organizations and their contacts are:
Francois Davids, Ability Society, Calgary
Carol Johnson, Canadian Down Syndrome Society, Calgary
Carol Putt, Canadian National Institute for the Blind, Toronto
Council of Canadians with Disabilities, Winnipeg
Barbara Anello, DisAbled Women’s Network Ontario, Toronto
Bruce Kachuk, Feminist Research, Education, Development and Action Centre, Vancouver
Kelli Moorey, Independent Living Resource Centre, Calgary
Leslie MacLeod, Independent Living Resource Centre, St. John’s, Nfld.
Gordon Peters, North Saskatchewan Independent Living Centre, Saskatoon
Margie Graham, Persons with Developmental Disabilities, Edmonton
Donna Huests, RCMP Victim Services and Family Violence, Edmonton
Sheena McKinney, Safe Home, High Level, Alberta
Tanya Cacic, Victim Safety Unit, Vancouver
Several individuals provided us with one-on-one input both in the early and latter stages
of our project. We would like to acknowledge the time and effort these individuals spent
consulting with us on the inventory. Their input has been invaluable!
Margie Graham, Training Consultant, Persons with Developmental Disabilities, Edmonton
Kay Long, St. Albert, Stop Abuse in Families (SAIF) Society, St. Albert, Alberta
Nancy Madsen, Community Rehabilitation Worker, Independent Living Society,
Grande Prairie, Alberta
Kelli Moorey, Crime, Violence & Abuse Prevention Coordinator, Independent Living
Resource Centre, Calgary
Marnie Wylie, Senior Case Manager, Residential Aide Placement Service, Edmonton
As always, we appreciate the support provided by the ACCD board as we undertake
projects that we believe will make a difference in the lives of people with disabilities.
Finally, we would like to thank the Wild Rose Foundation. Through their support, we’ve been
able to create this inventory, taking another step toward creating a safer society for people
with disabilities.
Table of Contents
Background Information
About This Inventory of
Training/Awareness-raising Materials ........... page 6
ACCD’s Response ............................................... page 6
A Note on Content ................................................page 6
Intended Audience ...............................................page 7
Availability of Materials .......................................page 7
Set-Up of the Inventory ....................................... page 7
Part One:
Training/Awareness-raising Materials for People
with Disabilities
How to Find What You’re Looking For............. page 8
Audience: People with Disabilities .................... page 9
Inventory Listings ............................................... page 9
Part Two:
Training/Awareness-raising Materials for
Professionals, Family Members, and Friends
How to Find What You’re Looking For............page 34
Audience: Professionals,
Family Members, and Friends.......................page 34
Inventory Listings ..............................................page 34
Appendix / Indexes:
Appendix: Additional
Training/Awareness-raising Materials .........page 84
Title Index ............................................................page 85
Type of Material Index .......................................page 86
Suggested Audience Index...............................page 89
Subject Index .....................................................page 90
About ACCD — Contact Information —
Feedback Request ........................................ page 95-96
Background
About This Inventory of Training/
Awareness-raising Materials
In 2002, the Alberta Committee of Citizens with
Disabilities (ACCD) completed a research project
that examines the issue of violence against women
with disabilities in Alberta. As a part of that project,
we interviewed women with disabilities, victim
services staff, women’s shelter directors, counsellors,
caregivers, and many other front-line workers.
Through these interviews, we learned that many
people with disabilities, their advocates, and frontline workers felt they did not have adequate access
to training/awareness-raising materials that raise
awareness about violence against women/people
with disabilities. They felt the materials they were
using were out of date, more relevant to non-disabled
individuals, or not readily obtainable.
ACCD’s Response
In response, ACCD has developed this inventory of
training/awareness-raising materials that focus on
the issue of violence against people with disabilities.
Our goal is to help these people, their advocates and
families, caregivers, and other front-line workers to
take action against violence through education and
training. Our inventory focuses on two areas:
• Training/awareness-raising materials written for
people with disabilities themselves. These
materials educate them about issues such as
sexuality, body image, personal safety, and abuse.
• Training/awareness-raising materials directed at
individuals and organizations who are involved
in the lives of people with disabilities. These
include service providers such as caregivers,
counsellors, women’s shelter staff, health care
professionals, police, and victim services workers.
They also include parents, family members, and
friends of people with disabilities. The materials
aim to increase awareness about the issue of
violence against people with disabilities and
provide practical information about preventing or
addressing violence.
Page 6 — Preventing Abuse
A Note on Content
In creating this document, ACCD reviewed more
documents than those listed here (See Appendix on
page 84). However, not all were chosen to be included
in the inventory. In consultation with service providers
and people with disabilities, we decided to include only
materials that:
• Focus specifically on training/awareness-raising.
Therefore, we have not included large (or even short)
research projects about the subject, bibliographies, or
items that are largely theoretical or academic in
nature. We have included materials that provide
practical training/awareness-raising information that
can be used for self-guided, individual, small group,
or large group training/awareness-raising.
• Are readily available. Materials that are no longer in
print or that we had difficulty accessing are not
included in the inventory.
• Have recently been produced/published. Service
providers and people with disabilities felt that, in
general, materials produced prior to 1990 contain
information that is outdated or difficult to obtain.
Because some older materials have stood the test of
time and remain useful teaching tools, you’ll notice a
few exceptions to this guideline.
As you review these materials, you may discover that
a resource you are familiar with has not been included.
Please fill out the evaluation form at the back of the
inventory and let us know about our omission. This
document is also available online at the ACCD website
(www.accd.net), and we will add your suggestion to the
electronic version of this document.
If you are a person with a disability or if you are
involved in the lives of people with disabilities as a
family member, friend, or professional, this inventory
is for you. These materials will support you as you
learn and as you teach others about the vulnerability
of people with disabilities, and the ways to prevent or
address violence and abuse in their lives.
Availability of Materials
When we consulted with service providers and people
with disabilities in developing this inventory, both
groups stressed the importance of knowing where and
how to access the materials listed. With this in mind, we
have tried to include details on previewing and ordering
materials, as well as cost.
Set-Up of the Inventory
The inventory is divided into two parts.
Part One includes training/awareness-raising materials
intended for people with disabilities. These materials
aim to raise awareness about topics such as sexuality,
body image, personal safety, and abuse.
Part Two includes training/awareness-raising
materials intended for professionals, family members,
and friends who are involved in the lives of people
with disabilities. These materials focus on self-guided
or group training scenarios that raise awareness about
violence against people with disabilities and teach
intervention and prevention strategies.
Almost all of the print materials in this inventory
were obtained through the Alberta interlibrary loan
system. If your organization does not have a library
card, it may want to invest in one. Library membership
provides an inexpensive and incredibly efficient means
of previewing materials. Once you’ve previewed
something, you can decide if you want to purchase
it. Remember, too, that many disability organizations
in and around your community will have lending or
research libraries. For example, the Alberta Association
for Community Living in Edmonton and the Violence
Information and Education Centre in Calgary were
able to provide us with materials more quickly than the
interlibrary loan system.
Videos, however, are more difficult to access through
interlibrary loan. Many libraries will only loan videos
locally. However, preview copies of most of the videos
listed in the inventory are readily accessible from the
producer.
Inventory of Training Materials — Page 7
Background
Intended Audience
Part One
Part One: Training/Awareness-raising Materials
for People with Disabilities
The training/awareness-raising materials described in Part One aim to raise awareness about topics such as
sexuality, body image, personal safety, and abuse. This section of the inventory describes the materials that
are intended primarily for people with disabilities. In some instances, the introductory information in a listing
may also encourage service providers or family members to review the material, or people with disabilities
themselves may wish to invite trusted individuals to share in their learning. However, the person with the
disability is the intended audience. If these materials are appropriate for others, they will also be referred to in
Part Two: Training/Awareness-raising Materials for Professionals, Family Members, and Friends.
How to Find What You’re Looking For
The materials in this section of the inventory are arranged alphabetically by author, but the following audience
categories will provide you with a more efficient means of finding what you are looking for. Consider these
steps/factors:
• Review the five categories of audience and decide which one describes you best.
• Remember, the materials in these lists are those that are intended primarily for people with disabilities. If
you are more interested in materials for professionals, family members, or friends, refer to Part Two starting
on page 34.
• Once you have decided which audience(s) you are a part of, review the entries in that section to find items
that are suitable for your situation.
• This document also contains a title index (page 85), a type of material index (page 86), a suggested
audience index (page 89), and a subject index (page 90). The type of material index identifies materials that
are available in alternate formats. If one of these indexes would be helpful in locating materials, please refer to
the appropriate page number.
Audience: People with Disabilities
Stop the Abuse: A Prevention Handbook for Young People with Disabilities
Written by Young People with Disabilities .............................................................................page 12
Easy Prey .........................................................................................................................................page 14
Emerging Leaders ............................................................................................................................page 16
Discovering Connections: A Guide to the Fun of Bridging Disability Differences .......................page 18
Being Sexual: An Illustrated Series on Sexuality and Relationships,
Volume 11: Sexuality and Physical Disability (refers to other volumes in series) ...............page 24
Safety for You....................................................................................................................................page 29
Violence Can Happen to You ...........................................................................................................page 30
Out of Harm’s Way: A Safety Kit for People with Disabilities Who Feel Unsafe
and Want to Do Something About It ....................................................................................... page 31
Adults and/or Teens Who are Deaf
Sharing Secrets ................................................................................................................................page 17
Children with Disabilities
Developing Personal Safety Skills in Children with Disabilities ....................................................page 11
Discovering Connections: A Guide to the Fun of Bridging Disability Differences ......................page 18
CDSS (Canadian Down Syndrome Society) Information Series: Explaining Privacy to Children................................. page 23
Women with Disabilities
Violence Against Women with Disabilities ......................................................................................page 10
Double Jeopardy: Women with Disabilities Talk about Abuse and Barriers They Face ................page 13
Toward Intimacy ..............................................................................................................................page 27
Family Violence Against Women with Disabilities ..........................................................................page 28
Persons with Developmental Disabilities
No! How ...........................................................................................................................................page 15
Under Cover Dick: Teaching Men with Disabilities about Condom Use
Through Understanding and Video ........................................................................................page 20
After You Tell .................................................................................................................................... page 22
Volume 15: Sexual Abuse (also lists other volumes in series)...............................................page 25
The Right to Control What Happens to Your Body: A Straightforward
Guide to Issues of Sexuality and Sexual Abuse ......................................................................page 32
Men with Developmental Disabilities
Hand Made Love: A Guide for Teaching about Male Masturbation
Part One
Adults and/or Teens with Disabilities
Part One
Author: Alberta Committee of Citizens with Disabilities
Title:
Violence Against Women with Disabilities
Year:
Publisher:
2001
Alberta Committee of Citizens
with Disabilities (ACCD), Edmonton
Availability:
Brochures are available in Microsoft Word or PDF
format on the ACCD website. Visit www.accd.net, and
then click on publications. Choose “Violence Against
Women” brochures from the list of publications.
Audience:
The audience varies according to the subject matter
discussed in each brochure (see below).
Description:
In general, this inventory does not include brochures,
mainly because they become outdated and
unavailable quite quickly. However, this series of five
brochures is available electronically, so they can be
accessed easily and at any time.
Type:
Length:
Five Brochures
One page, double-sided
ACCD has produced a series of five brochures, each one
dealing with some aspect of violence against women
with disabilities. The titles in the series are:
•
•
•
•
•
Facts About Abuse
Are You Being Abused?
Is Someone You Know Being Abused?
What Paid Caregivers Need to Know
What Family Caregivers Need to Know
Each brochure briefly and simply provides information
on its topic and encourages the reader to take action
to stop abuse. The brochures could be used to raise
awareness about violence against women with
disabilities.
Author: Briggs, Freda
Title:
Developing Personal Safety Skills in Children with Disabilities
Year:
Publisher:
1995
Paul H. Brookes, Baltimore, MD
Audience:
The foreword to this curriculum notes, “The book was
written at the specific request of teachers, social workers, and
psychologists who were seriously concerned about the lack of
affordable materials for teaching safety skills to children with
disabilities” (vii). This book could be used by any of these
professionals, or by counsellors, parents, or other caregivers.
The book is directed at students who are “children and
young people with mild to severe disabilities.” It is meant
to address the gaps in more traditional safety skills curricula
that are not as accessible to or user-friendly for children with
disabilities.
The author refers to the materials as “generalist in nature”
and notes that the content “need[s] to be adapted to suit
individual needs.” The author also acknowledges that it is
beyond the scope of these materials to meet the needs of
“signing deaf children and blind children.”
Description:
Educational materials regarding personal safety and “street
proofing” of children and youth are readily available, but
these seldom provide a disability perspective. Freda Briggs
responds to this concern in her excellent curriculum, which
includes activities, photos, and scenarios that include children,
youth, and adults with disabilities.
In this book, Briggs provides a foundation for building
a curriculum, along with strategies and suggestions for
developing the information to suit the specific needs of the
reader and his/her students. She encourages an integrated
approach that includes parents, community stakeholders,
and others involved in the child’s life. She also carefully
and respectfully outlines the differences in the situations of
children/youth with disabilities that the “teacher” will need to
be aware of to successfully use the curriculum.
The book is a practical as well as a theoretical guide. It
includes sample letters to send to parents, sample incident
report sheets, and practical tips on delivering the lessons. In the
foreword, Briggs acknowledges the input of many practicing
professionals in the area of sex education, child psychology,
and special education. Their expertise comes across strongly
in the activities in the teaching modules themselves.
Dick Sobsey, from the University of Alberta’s Abuse
and Disability Project, says, “People interested in teaching
children with disabilities to minimize their risk for abuse
often don’t know where to start. This book starts from the
right place. It’s based on a firm foundation, a thorough
knowledge of abuse prevention curricula” (back cover).
The curriculum is well organized and cleanly formatted,
making it easy to use and accessible to a broad audience.
Set-Up:
The curriculum is divided into two parts. Part One (70 pages)
summarizes research and background information in several
areas related to personal safety and children, including
children with disabilities. The five chapters in this section are:
• All Children Need Personal Safety Skills
• Why Children with Disabilities Need Personal Safety
Skills
• Parent Participation in Personal Safety Programs
• Developing Curriculum
• Responding to Actual or Suspected Sexual Abuse of
Children with Disabilities
Part Two (130 pages) contains the Personal Safety Program
lesson plans. Each lesson plan contains aims, activities,
explanations for “teachers,” and worksheets (which may be
photocopied). The lesson plans also include pictures/sketches
of children and adults with disabilities. There are seven
modules in this section; they are:
• Developing Children’s Self Esteem
• Developing Children’s Assertiveness Skills
• Coping with Hazards
• ‘It’s My Body’
• Some Parts of our Body are Private
• Learning About Our Feelings
• Talking About Touching
The remaining 13 pages include two appendices, a
bibliography, and an index.
Part One
Availability:
Acquire through a library or interlibrary loan.
Type:
Curriculum
Length: 213 pages, which includes:
appendix, bibliography, an index
Part One
Author: Burlie, John, and Gayle MacKinley, Sricamalan Pathmanathan,
Ambrose Poirier, Raymond Shiels, Christine Small, Glen Thompson, Margrett Weldon
Title:
Written by Young People with Disabilities
Illustrator:
Year:
Publisher:
Marc Gossellin
1995
Canadian Association of
Independent Living Centres
(CAILC), Ottawa, ON
Availability:
This booklet can be ordered through the CAILC
website at www.cailc.ca. Click on the “Publications”
icon for order information. Cost: $3.00.
Audience:
The booklet is directed at young people with
disabilities.
Description:
This booklet was written by eight youths with
disabilities who participated in the Youth, Disability,
and Abuse Prevention Project in Toronto in 1995.
The reason for developing the booklet was to “bring
about change – a change that would empower you
to stop abuse” (1). It does so by providing factual
information on abuse – definitions, examples,
possible perpetrators, signs of abuse, and ways to
respond to and report abusive incidents. The language
in the booklet is straightforward and inclusive.
Set-Up:
The booklet begins by defining different types
of abuse. These include physical abuse, sexual
abuse, verbal abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect.
The definitions are short and simple, and they are
accompanied by bulleted lists of examples. As well,
original illustrations offer visual representations of
each type of abuse.
After the definitions, the booklet asks and answers
questions about abuse. Answers to the questions are
Type:
Length:
Booklet
31 pages
provided in bulleted lists. Illustrations accompany some
of the questions. The questions are:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Who is in danger of being abused?
Where does abuse take place?
Who abuses young people with disabilities?
Why does abuse happen?
What are the signs of abuse and violence?
Why is abuse not reported?
What are the results of abuse and violence?
What can you do to stop abuse?
The booklet ends with information on how to stop abuse
from occurring and an activity page that reviews the
content in the booklet.
Author: Canadian Association of Independent Living Centres
Title: Double Jeopardy: Women with Disabilities Talk about Abuse and Barriers They Face
1996
Independent Living Centres
Availability:
The handbook and the video can be purchased through
the CAILC website at www.cailc.ca. Price: $38.00, plus
$3.00 shipping and handling.
Audience:
Both the handbook and the video are directed at women
with disabilities and the professionals who support
them.
Description:
The handbook provides background information on the
issue of abuse and women with disabilities. While it is
meant as a companion piece to the Double Jeopardy
video, the handbook does not refer directly to the video
nor does it provide information on how to use the video.
Instead, it provides a context for the issue of violence
against women with disabilities by attempting to raise
awareness about the extent of the problem and the
barriers faced in addressing it.
The handbook emphasizes the importance of a
consumer voice. Women with disabilities share stories
and experiences that personalize the issue of abuse.
This aspect of the publication makes it inviting for other
women with disabilities who read it.
Set-Up:
The Handbook:
The handbook has a short introduction, a section called
“About Abuse,” and a list of resources. The “About
Abuse” section, about 50 pages, contains the main
content. The topics in this section are:
(CAILC), Ottawa, ON
Type:
Handbook and Video
Length: Handbook: 66 pages Video: 26 min.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
What Is Abuse?
Different Types of Abuse
How Big Is This Problem?
Who Are the People Who Are Abused?
Who Are the People Who Are Abusing?
Myths
Who Is Responsible for This?
Why Is This Happening?
Why Don’t Survivors Report Abuse?
How to Recognize Abuse
The Video:
Part One
Year:
Publisher:
The video explores the realities faced by three
different women with disabilities who have
experienced abuse. Included are interviews with these
women, as well as the perspectives of representatives
from police services, a victim/witness support service,
the community legal system, a women’s shelter, and a
police training college.
The video is divided into four sections: the women
relating their experiences of abuse and the action they
took with the police, their experiences with women’s
shelters, their experiences with the judicial system, and
advice on what to do next. In each section, the women
and their advocates discuss the barriers encountered and
the supports received.
People with disabilities who watch this video will
be struck by the authenticity of the women’s stories.
These are women with disabilities who have survived
violence. At the close of the video, CAILC provides
a contact number and encourages women who are
experiencing violence to call them so they can help
them address the situations they are facing.
Part One
Author: CTV, Scarborough, ON
Title:
Easy Prey
Year:
Producer:
1991
W5 (television program segment)
Availability:
Enter title in the “quick search” tool.
www.magiclantern.ca
Price $49 US.
Type:
Length:
Video
10 minutes
Audience:
The video is directed at a general audience.
by people they know: family, friends, or caregivers.
Many do not report the incidents because they want to
be loved, because they are often dependent on attendant
care, and because institutions teach compliance. The
video shows that people with disabilities are vulnerable
to abuse, and it explains the problems of reporting such
abuse.
Description:
This brief video is a segment from CTV’s news
program, W5, and its intent is to create awareness
about the high rate of sexual abuse experienced
by people with disabilities. The reporter refers to
a specific case and uses it as an example of the
numerous sexual assaults against people with
disabilities that go unreported and unpunished in
Canada. People with disabilities tend to be assaulted
This video effectively gets across the message that
people with disabilities are vulnerable to abuse, and
it touches on the problems with reporting abuse. But
it offers very little in the way of proactive solutions to
these problems, or to the creation of a safe, comfortable
environment for oneself after abuse has taken place. If
this video is used as a teaching tool, accompanying it
with practical strategies for addressing the abuse in an
individual’s life is important.
Author: Diverse City Press
No! How
Year:
Producer:
1996
Diverse City Press, Richmond
Hill, ON
Availability:
For information on the video and its availability, contact
Diverse City Press in Richmond Hill, Ontario at
(514) 297-3080. Or visit their website at
www.diverse-city.com/display.htm. Order online by
clicking on “The Store” icon. Price: $24.00.
Audience:
The video intends to help young adults with
developmental disabilities “to recognize the difference
between appropriate and inappropriate sexual behaviour
from others, what action to take, and how to say no”
(cover).
Description:
In this video, three people with developmental
disabilities, and their friends, discuss and dramatize
various abusive scenarios. The intent of their discussion
is to break down stereotypes about developmental
Type:
Length:
Video
10 minutes
disabilities and to demonstrate how to say no in
uncomfortable and abusive situations.
The video explains that abuse occurs when someone is
hurt on purpose, when someone is touched and doesn’t
want to be touched, or when someone is coerced into
sexual relations. The video shows different scenarios
and then the words “Think,” “Decide,” and “Act” are
displayed on the screen to explain the process that
occurs before taking action. The speakers explain that
saying no is often necessary, and saying no loudly is
sometimes warranted. If saying no does not work, and
the person does not stop, tell someone or call the
police. There is also a small section about boundaries
and body parts. The video’s overall message is to
trust your feelings if you are scared or uncomfortable,
and to stand up for yourself and say no. A strength of
this video is that we see people with developmental
disabilities advocating for themselves.
Part One
Title:
Part One
Title:
Emerging Leaders
Producer: Mobility International, U.S.A.
Year:
Type:
1991
Video
Availability:
For information on the video and its availability,
contact:
Mobility International U.S.A., P.O. Box 3551,
Eugene, Oregon, 97403 USA.
Telephone (503) 343-1283.
Website: www.miusa.org. Click on “Publications.”
Audience:
The video is directed at people with disabilities, their
advocates, and a general audience.
Description:
This video documents the International Leadership
Conference for Persons with Disabilities, a monthlong course held in Eugene, Oregon, in the summer
of 1991. The conference objective is to educate and
enable people with disabilities, through action and
activity, to become leaders within their communities
for the benefit of all people with disabilities.
The video shows conference attendees of different
nationalities with a variety of disabilities. They take
part in a variety of outdoor activities such as hiking,
river-rafting, walking along a suspended rope bridge,
Length:
20 minutes
and dancing. In interviews, conference participants
express their delight at being given the opportunity to
participate in activities they never thought possible.
The conference shows them that through action, many
people with disabilities are capable of participating in a
variety of activities and recreation.
The video also includes footage of conference lectures
and information sessions given by leadership trainers
who believe that a worldwide movement for disability
rights is necessary. The trainers ask participants to
recognize their individual potential, as well as their
strength in solidarity. The purpose of the conference
is to celebrate the wealth of collective knowledge
that participants have about disabilities and about the
barriers they face in everyday life.
Overall, the video is uplifting. While it does not focus
explicitly on the issue of violence/abuse and disability,
it does emphasize self-advocacy, self-esteem, and
leadership– traits that will reduce the risk of abuse.
The video’s positive message is a welcome one, but
this is primarily a documentary of the conference. It is
important to be aware of this when deciding whether
or not it is suitable to be used for a specific training
situation.
Author: Greater Vancouver Association of the Deaf
Sharing Secrets
Year:
Producer:
1991
Greater Vancouver Association
of the Deaf
Availability:
Moving Images Distribution at (604) 684-3014.
Price: $30.00. www.movingimages.bc.ca
Audience:
The video is directed at students who are deaf, and their
teachers.
Description:
This video follows the Paisley Jr. Secondary School Yearbook
Committee through their school year. The video has an English
language voiceover, but the main dialogue is communicated by
actors who are deaf and use American Sign Language. In the
first segment of the video, we are introduced to Betty Ann, the
yearbook typist, Julia, the yearbook editor, Mark, the yearbook
treasurer, other yearbook students, and Mr. Sherman, the
yearbook committee staff advisor.
Mr. Sherman is also the school’s sexual education teacher,
and in the second segment, we are taken into his classroom. In
class he explains what constitutes sexual abuse, and, through
visual examples, we see what is considered “comfortable
touching” (for example hugs, handshakes, pats on the back)
and what is considered “uncomfortable touching” (for example
pinching someone’s buttocks, snapping someone’s bra,
groping someone on the dance floor). Through discussion and
role play, Mr. Sherman and the students examine the kinds
of touching that make people embarrassed or uncomfortable.
Mr. Sherman explains that everyone has personal boundaries
that we must all respect, and that each person’s boundaries are
different.
Mr. Sherman’s sexual education class provides the backdrop
for introducing the sexual abuse experienced by two of the
students. We see Betty Ann being groped by her boyfriend
at a Halloween dance, and although she asks him to stop and
moves his hands, he does not listen. When Julia speaks with
her, Betty Ann relates the actions of her boyfriend, and reveals
that her father has touched her and forced her to touch him, and
that she wishes she were dead. She fears that if she discloses
the secret, her mother won’t love her, her parents will divorce,
and her father will go to jail. These are all threats her father has
Type:
Length:
Video
80 minutes
used to force her to keep quiet. Julia convinces Betty Ann that
it is not her fault and that she needs to tell someone.
In another scenario, Mark has to take the money earned
through a school fundraiser to the Vice Principal, Mrs. Tanner.
When Mark meets with Mrs. Tanner, she sits very close to
him and rubs his leg. Mark asks her to stop, but she tells him
that he wouldn’t want everyone in the school to find out he is
gay. In a later scene, Mark is walking on the top of a building
and some passers-by call the police, thinking he is suicidal.
At the police station, Mr. Sherman is called in, and Mark
tells about the incident with Mrs. Tanner. He says he is
confused because he was mildly aroused by Mrs. Tanner’s
touching, but that he asked her to stop, and that he didn’t
want the whole school to know he is gay. The point is made
that being touched sexually can be arousing even when it is
unwanted and uncomfortable, but that when somebody is
asked to stop touching you, that person needs to respect your
personal boundaries. Mrs. Tanner is suspended from her duties
as vice principal while a criminal investigation takes place. We
see the principal and Mr. Sherman discussing with Mrs. Tanner
what disciplinary actions have been taken, and then a staff
meeting is held in which other staff members are informed.
Throughout the film, there are light-hearted scenes of
putting the yearbook together, and photographic montages
from the year. Finally, the yearbook is ready, and the committee
gathers to reminisce with Mr. Sherman. They discuss how
close they have become, given Betty Ann’s father’s abuse,
and Mark’s incident with Mrs. Tanner. They recall how they
at first felt alone and unable to tell anybody about the sexual
abuse because of the fear of getting into trouble. Mr. Sherman
reiterates the point that, if you are the victim of sexual abuse,
you must keep telling people about it until someone believes
you. You must ask for help. You have the right to trust your
feelings, to say no, and to get help. We see through Mark and
Betty Ann that in doing just those things, their confidence and
peace of mind are restored.
This video is effective in that the plot and characters are
believable and clear. However, it is long, and it seems best
suited for use as an in-class teaching tool for middle-school
aged children.
Part One
Title:
Part One
Author: Hill, Linda D., (with the Cowichan Valley Independent Living Resource Ctr.)
Title:
Discovering Connections: A Guide to the Fun of Bridging Disability Differences
Year:
Publisher:
1998
Building Bridges, Cowichan
Valley, BC
Availability:
Contact the publisher in British Columbia at
1-888-746-1529. Or visit their website at
www.island.net ~bridges. Bound format: $19.95 plus
www.island.net/
GST, plus $4.00 shipping and handling. Three-hole
punch loose-leaf format: $14.95 plus GST, plus $4.00
shipping and handling.
Audience:
The author suggests that “Discovering Connections
is a guidebook for everyone who wants to explore
ways of bridging disability differences in order to
make meaningful connections between individuals
and their communities. This book is for people with
disabilities; family members, friends, and neighbors
of people with disabilities; professionals, volunteers,
and students; and anyone who enjoys getting to know
people from different backgrounds” (3).
This assessment is accurate, but also very broad.
The various groups who use this resource would
use it in different ways. If a person with a disability
decided to use this book, he/she might decide to work
independently through the exercises. If a professional
or volunteer used it, he or she would likely use it to
guide a program intended to build community and
self-esteem. The book would best be used by a small
group with a leader acting as a guide on this journey
of learning.
In general, the content is aimed at younger people,
children or teens; however, the activities could be
effectively used with adults, too.
Description:
This guide is beautifully illustrated and formatted.
This enhances its appeal. People from all different
types of agencies, as well as people with disabilities
themselves, could find useful, hands-on exercises and
activities in this guidebook.
The book uses the metaphor of a journey to tie
together a series of activities and skill-building
sessions that focus on creating inclusive communities.
Type:
Length:
Guidebook/curriculum
109 pages
The “Notes from the Publisher” section states,
We are often asked which disabilities this book is
about. Our answer is that this travel guide includes
everyone who communicates, or is learning to
communicate, through the universal language of fun.
You are invited on these journeys no matter what
disabilities you have or don’t have. The focus is on
enjoying diversity and on mutual learning. As you
discover more and more connections with each other
and your community, you will learn a great deal about
disability issues as well as access, equity, and inclusion
issues. (ix)
The guidebook reads like a workbook. It does not
directly address the issue of violence and disability.
But by focusing on developing community, it aims to
develop understanding and self-esteem, qualities that
reduce the likelihood of violence or abuse occurring.
Set-Up:
The guidebook is divided into five sections. Sections
Three and Four comprise the main content.
Section One: Background To Discovering
Connections
Section Two: Travel Preparations (including topics
such as “Finding Traveling Companions” and “Finding
a Place to Meet”)
Section Three: Journeys of Discovery (including
topics such as “Feeling Good” and “Getting Past Access
Barriers”)
Section Four: Connecting Skills (Skills include things
like “Making Small Talk” and “Expressing Positive
Feelings”)
Section Five: More Connections
Each journey in Section Three includes a session goal,
skills to be learned or used, an activity, a community
connection idea, and a journal page.
Each skill to be learned or practiced in Section Four
is accompanied by a variety of activities and exercises
geared at helping participants learn various individual
and interpersonal skills.
Author: Hingsburger, Dave
Year:
Publisher:
through Understanding and Video
1995
Diverse City Press, Inc.,
Richmond Hill, ON
Availability:
Contact the publishers at (514) 297-3080. Or visit their
website at www.diverse-city.com/display.htm. Order
online through “The Store” link. Price: Guidebook
$15.00; Video and Guidebook $45.00.
Audience:
The guidebook is written primarily for people
(including family members) who work directly with
individuals with developmental disabilities. The video
is for male adults with developmental disabilities,
particularly those “who are having difficulty with
masturbation due to a past history of ignorance,
punishment, or fear” (13).
Description:
Hingsburger uses a casual tone and stories from his
own counseling and sex education practice to educate
the reader about masturbation and people with
developmental disabilities. He describes his goals
in this publication as “to first look at establishing
an environment that welcomes healthy adult sexual
expression” and then to “use the video as a teaching
tool for an individual with disabilities who seems to be
having difficulty with masturbation” (3).
In the guidebook, Hingsburger acknowledges
the difficulty of discussing this subject, even for
counsellors/teachers. He talks about masturbation
from the point of health and pleasure and includes
ideas about “both systemic issues and the right of the
individual to privacy” (back cover).
Set-Up:
The Guidebook:
The guidebook is divided into four sections. The author
recommends reading Appendix One before reading the
information that precedes it.
Section One: Understanding (pages 1-30)
This section introduces the reader (a service provider
Type:
Length:
Video:
Video and Guide
Guidebook: 53 pages
18 minutes
or caregiver) to a brief history of and reflections on the
issues of sexuality (especially masturbation) and people
with disabilities.
Section Two: Using the Video to Teach (pages 31-40)
This section uses a question/answer format to assist
viewers in using the video. It outlines the goal of
the video, “To give accurate information regarding
sexuality and sexual expression” (31), and emphasizes
the criteria that must be in place for the video to be
used effectively.
Section Three: Appendix One (pages 41-49)
This section reprints the article “Masturbation: A
Consultation” originally published by Hingsburger
in Sex Information and Education Council of Canada
(SIECCAN) newsletter, 1994. The document guides
readers in asking questions about the masturbatory
behaviour of the individuals that they serve.
Part One
Title:
Section Four: Appendix Two: Resources (pages 5053)
This information gives bibliographical information on
a variety of resources regarding sex and masturbation.
Hingsburger notes that he has used all of these resources
in his own practice and has found that they have good
sections on masturbation.
The Video:
In this video, Steve, the narrator, discusses “privacy,
pleasure and the realities of sharing living spaces with
others. He also talks about sex and desire.” Steve uses
“plain language that is fully respectful of the needs of
the viewer.” The video acknowledges the difficulty of
addressing the topic of masturbation, and as the video
content becomes more private, there are opportunities
for the viewer to decide whether to continue watching
or stop. In the video, Steve discusses some of the myths
about masturbation and then demonstrates how to
masturbate successfully (i.e. to the point of ejaculation).
Part One
Title:
Under Cover Dick: Teaching Men with Disabilities about Condom Use through
Understanding and Video
Year
Year:
Publisher:
1996
Richmond Hill, ON
Availability:
Contact the publishers at (514) 297-3080. Or visit
their website at www.diverse-city.com/display.htm
www.diverse-city.com/display.htm
m.. Order
online through “The Store” link. Price: Guidebook
$15.00; Video and Guidebook $45.00.
Audience:
A counselor, a rehabilitation worker, or an educator
who wants to teach clients about the proper and safe
use of condoms, will find this guidebook and video
helpful. Sections of the guidebook and the entire
video are for men with developmental disabilities
themselves, although service providers should
preview the video so they know what they will be
asking their clients to watch.
Description:
Because Hingsburger works as a counselor of people
with developmental disabilities, his work is full of
personal experiences, poignant stories, and real-life
situations. Due to this content and Hingsburger’s
open, conversational, caring, and humorous tone,
his work is both touching and enjoyable to read. His
analysis of situations faced by people with disabilities
is honest, and his advice is practical. As well, the
book uses a variety of fonts and graphics, creating a
visually interesting document.
This guidebook does not deal directly with
the issue of violence or abuse and people with
disabilities. But by advocating for honestly and
openly teaching men with developmental disabilities
how to properly use condoms, Hingsburger hopes to
address “the bias that forces people with disabilities
to engage in furtive, risky sexual behaviour” (table of
contents page).
Set-Up:
The Guidebook:
The 57 pages of the guidebook are divided into five
sections. The first four sections are directed at people
who will be instructing people with developmental
Type:
Length:
Guidebook and Video
Guidebook: 57 pages
Video:
8 minutes
disabilities. The last section is meant to be used in
conjunction with the video and is directed at the person
with a developmental disability who is learning about
proper condom use.
Section One: Just the Facts
This first section asks and answers the question “Just
what is the concept of “safer sex” to a person with a
developmental disability?” It also examines some of the
myths (and their consequences) surrounding sexuality
and disability.
Section Two: Using the Video to Teach
This section is only two pages long. It does not explain
how to use the video. Instead, it raises a few ethical
questions/points to consider before showing the video.
Hingsburer notes, “[T]he ethical dilemmas faced by
staff who want to inform are bigger than they may
seem” (ii).
Section Three: Appendix One: Policies
This section reprints the article “Human Rights and
HIV/AIDS: Recommendations Concerning the Rights
of People with Developmental Disabilities,” written by
Hingsburger and published in the SIECCAN newsletter
in 1992.
Section Four: Appendix Two: Resources
These resources include general texts regarding HIV
and AIDS as well as some resources specific to people
with developmental disabilities and AIDS.
Section Five: Appendix Three: Step by Step
This section is meant to be used in conjunction with the
video and, unlike the rest of the guidebook, is directed
at the person with a developmental disability who is
learning about condom use. The section consists of a
series of photographs and accompanying plain-language
text that explain how to properly use a condom. The
person in the photographs is also the actor in the video,
Steve.
When previewing the video, one is especially struck
by the manner of the actor, Steve. Yes, he is “gentle,
caring, and non-threatening,” but even more than this,
he readily gains the viewer’s trust. Condom use is not
an everyday, easy-to-discuss topic for most people. But
Steve addresses the viewer in an honest and straightforward fashion as he attempts to put the viewer at ease.
He also acknowledges the sensitivity of the topic and
lets viewers know that they can turn the video off if they
aren’t comfortable watching it.
Part One
The Video:
The producer of the video states, “This video gives
straight forward instructions about how to put on a
condom. Steve, the narrator, discusses disease and
disease transmission in a concrete way. He talks in
plain language that is fully respectful of the needs of the
viewer. Letters have described his delivery as gentle,
caring and non-threatening.”
Part One
Author: Ludwig, Susan E.
Title:
Year:
Illustrator:
Blissymbols:
After You Tell
1995
James F. Whittingham
Translated by Jinny Storr and
Ruth Harrington
Availability:
Available online at www.hc-sc.gc.ca. Copies available
from National Clearinghouse on Family Violence.
Tel: 1-800-267-1291; TDD 1-800-561-5643. Copies
can be made as long as they are not being sold.
Authors must be acknowledged in copies.
Audience:
The book is directed at people with disabilities
and/or their advocates. The publisher explains that
“While useful for a wide audience, the booklet may
be particularly helpful for people with developmental
disabilities, problems with literacy, learning or
communication, or anyone who uses Blissymbols”
(inside front cover).
Description:
This booklet guides readers through a scenario that
may occur after someone discloses that he or she
has been sexually abused. Each page uses “regular”
text, an illustration, and Blissymbols to present this
information. If someone is new to Blissymbols,
the book can be both fascinating and practical. In a
direct yet sensitive manner, After You Tell explains
the possible sequence of events surrounding the
investigation of an allegation of abuse and the
subsequent judicial response. The text is clear and
straightforward, and the illustrations are engaging.
There is never more than one illustration per page.
Publisher:
Type:
Length:
SIECCAN (Sex Information
and Education Council of
Canada), East York, ON
Booklet
78 pages
The booklet provides an explanatory note on
Blissymbolics that would be useful to repeat here.
Blissymbolics “is a pictographic and ideographic
symbol system designed originally to allow people
who speak different languages to communicate with
each other. It is now used internationally as a method
of augmentative communication for people who have
problems with verbal communication” (inside front
cover).
Set-Up:
While the book does contain a table of contents, the
material also flows from one step to the next of the
disclosure and legal process. The steps outlined are:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Telling Someone
Telling the Authorities
Charges
Bail
Preliminary Hearing
Trial
Verdict
Sentence
Why Tell
As well, the booklet includes a flow chart that outlines
the judicial process after a sexual assault has been
reported to the police, and a glossary of Blissymbols.
Author: Ludwig, Susan
Title:
CDSS Information Series: Explaining Privacy to Children
Year:
Publisher:
1998
Canadian Down Syndrome
Society, Calgary, AB
Audience:
This pamphlet is directed at parents of children with
developmental disabilities.
Description:
The pamphlet explains to the parent-readers that their
children need to learn about privacy and suggests using
the simple color code of traffic signals to assist their
children in understanding the concept. Ludwig explains,
“Red stands for things that are private. Yellow stands for
Be Careful. Green stands for things that are public” (1).
The pamphlet is a short, straightforward, and useful
tool for teaching children about privacy. Throughout,
Pamphlet
4 pages
the language and tone are mindful of the parent using
the pamphlet and the child being taught. For example,
Ludwig suggests one way of teaching privacy in terms
of place: “A question that helps clarify whether a place
is defined as Public/Private or Be Careful is ‘Could you
ever change your clothes in this place?’ If the answer is
‘No! Never!’ then the place would be a Public place. If
the answer is ‘Yes’, then the place could be a ‘Private
or Careful’ place” (2).
Part One
Availability:
Call the Canadian Down Syndrome Society at
1-800-883-5608 for a copy. Website: www.cdss.ca
Type:
Length:
Set-Up:
Once the child is familiar with the traffic signal concept
of identifying public and private situations, a variety of
situations are presented to reinforce the idea. Ludwig
discusses four different arenas of private and public
concern: Places, Behaviours, Clothing, and Body Parts.
In each section, characteristics for public, private, and
be careful assessments are listed.
Part One
Author: Ludwig, Susan and Michael Barrett
Title:
Volume 11: Sexuality and Physical Disability
Year:
Publisher:
1993
Sex Information and Education
Council of Canada (SIECCAN),
East York, ON
Availability:
Contact the publisher at: 850 Coxwell Avenue, East
York ON, M4C 5R1. Telephone (416) 466-5304;
Fax (416) 778-0785. Website: www.sieccan.org
Audience:
The simple language, explanatory illustrations, and
Blissymbols used in this book (and throughout the
series) make it appropriate for use by anyone who
wishes to gain a rudimentary understanding of the
issues related to sexuality, to affirm sexuality as a
valid component of anyone’s life, and to identify
some of the central issues about sexuality that are
specific to those with physical disabilities.
Description:
This volume begins with general statements about
adaptations people with disabilities make to operate
in daily life, whether through the use of wheelchairs
or special transportation, the help of others, or the use
of aids or devices that facilitate movement, seeing,
hearing, and other forms of communication.
The text goes on to describe the desire that most
people have to feel accepted, included, and “desired
by someone else, both sexually and emotionally,
[which] is an exciting part of being alive” (4).
Also discussed are the nature of friendship, the
development of relationships, the desire for an
intimate relationship with another person, and
the excitement of connecting with and caring for
someone, as well as the anxiety of rejection.
The difficulties that a person with a disability
might encounter in social interaction are discussed,
particularly the difficulties and challenges that relate
to communication, physical participation in social
activities, and issues of self-confidence.
Privacy concerns around the issue of masturbation
are discussed, as are the acquisition of sexual aids and
materials, and assistance with physical positioning.
Type:
Length:
Illustrated reference book
33 pages
The text addresses issues of communicating about one’s
disabilities with a partner prior to sexual interaction,
and presents communication as a means of reducing
anxiety about physical, emotional, and experiential
limits and expectations.
Contraceptives are discussed briefly, as is family
planning. Also discussed is the potential need for a
variety of forms of touching that may be required to
accommodate different physical disabilities, body
spasms, a lack of physical sensitivity in some areas of
the body, and the presence of physical or medical aids
or devices. The text emphasizes that different forms of
touch can be satisfying: “People who have difficulty
moving can find comfortable positions that let them
caress their partner’s body and share sexual pleasure.
They may find that how they are touched is more
important than where they are touched” (23).
Planning times of day to accommodate physical
limitations—such as tiring easily—is mentioned.
The importance of finding someone with whom
one can talk about questions, issues, and concerns is
highlighted.
Set-Up:
The text on any given page generally does not exceed
four sentences. The main words and concepts discussed
on each page appear in boldface type, and the most
important ideas are also translated into Blissymbols.
Claudia Wood provides the translation of text into
Blissymbols.
Specific but non-graphic illustrations on each page
accompany the textual material. James F. Wittingham
has created the illustrations.
An additional picture, paired with Blissymbols,
appears on each page that focuses on actions that should
occur in private.
Note:
This book is from a series of 17 volumes. These
volumes are listed at the end of the following resource
listing.
Author: Ludwig, Susan and Dave Hingsburger
Title:
Volume 15: Sexual Abuse
Year:
Publisher:
1993
Sex Information and Education
Council of Canada (SIECCAN),
Audience:
The simple language, explanatory illustrations,
and Blissymbols used in this book (and throughout
the series) make it appropriate for use by anyone
who wishes to gain a rudimentary understanding
of the issues related to sexuality, appropriate and
inappropriate touching, sexual abuse, and steps that can
and sometimes must be taken after sexual abuse has
occurred.
Description:
This volume explains in simple language that many
people in “A close, loving relationship . . . may share
sexual activity” (1), and that when people agree to share
in this way, sexual pleasure is a positive experience.
The text clarifies that “anytime a person is persuaded or
forced to take part in unwanted sexual activity, this is
sexual abuse” (2).
The book goes on to discuss why it is important to trust
your feelings if you feel uncomfortable about being
touched (including sexually), and seeks to explain what
sexual abuse is. Several examples, occurrences, and
circumstances that constitute sexual abuse are described
and depicted, as are the feelings that a person may
experience when abused sexually.
The volume suggests that the victim tell someone
he or she trusts about the assault, and also explores
the reactions the person told about the assault might
have when informed. The work goes on to identify
individuals who might be contacted, including crisisline workers. It also describes the conditions under
which examinations by medical professional may
be required and how such examinations transpire; it
does this in terms that are specific to female and male
victims of sexual abuse. The volume also describes
the circumstances of reporting the abuse to crisis-line
workers and police, and of speaking in court.
The text on any given page generally does not exceed
four sentences. The main words and concepts
discussed on each page appear in boldface type,
and the most important ideas are also translated into
Blissymbols. Claudia Wood provides the translation of
text into Blissymbols.
Specific but non-graphic illustrations on each page
accompany the textual material. James F. Wittingham
has created the illustrations.
Part One
Availability:
Contact the publisher at 850 Coxwell Avenue, East York
ON, M4C 5R1. Or call them at (416) 466-5304.
Type:
Length:
East York ON
Illustrated reference book
43 pages
An additional picture, paired with Blissymbols, appears
on each page that focuses on actions that should occur
in private.
Note:
This is one volume in a series of 17 volumes.
Each volume concludes with an index of relevant
Blissymbols. The other volumes in the series are:
1. Relationships. Sexuality is explored in the context of
relationships and validated as an important part of
one’s self-esteem. (31 pages)
2. A Woman’s Body. Describes anatomy, sexual
functioning of a woman’s body, and other aspects
of being a woman. Issues of privacy and personal
autonomy are introduced here and reinforced
throughout the series. (47 pages)
3. A Man’s Body. Describes anatomy, sexual
functioning of a man’s body, and other aspects of
being a man. (49 pages)
4. Adolescence. Describes the changes of puberty and
adolescence and their influence on sexuality. (31
pages)
Part One
5. Male Masturbation. Describes masturbation and
validates this as a choice for any man. Discusses
fantasy as an aspect of masturbation. (38 pages)
6. Female Masturbation. Describes masturbation and
validates this as a sexual choice for any woman.
(19 pages)
7. Heterosexual Intercourse. Describes sexual
intercourse including sexual responsibility and
mutual pleasuring. (25 pages)
8. Human Reproduction. Describes reproduction from
fertilization to birth. Includes premature birth,
caesarean section, miscarriage, and abortion.
(25 pages)
9. Birth Control. Describes birth control options and
suggests additional sources of information on
contraception. (33 pages)
10. Homosexuality. Defines homosexuality and
distinguishes it from homosexual behaviour.
Suggests community resources for
more information. (33 pages)
11. Sexuality and Physical Disability. Validates
all people as being sexual. Discusses ways to
achieve a satisfying sexual life in the presence of
a physical disability. (33 pages)
12. Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Describes
common STDs. Discusses symptoms, treatment,
and prevention. (30 pages)
13. AIDS. Explains how Acquired Immune
Deficiency Syndrome is transmitted and how it
develops. Defines “safer sex.” (27 pages)
14. Sexual Self-Advocacy. Discusses the right to
sexual expression. Suggests how people in
residential settings might influence policies that
guarantee this right. (25 pages)
15. Sexual Abuse. Defines abuse, exploitation, incest,
and molestation. Describes what may happen
after abuse and disclosure. (43 pages)
16. Sexuality and Aging. Describes how sexuality
and sexual expression may be affected by aging.
(25 pages)
17. Teaching Manual. Outlines the philosophy
and potential uses of the series. Explains the
Blissymbols developed for the series. (18 pages)
Director: McGee, Debbie
Year:
Producer:
Toward Intimacy
1992
National Film Board of Canada,
Montreal, QC
Availability:
Contact the National Film Board at 1-800-267-7710 for
distribution information.
Audience:
The video’s cover suggests, “The primary audience for
this film is women with disabilities and their partners
and families. It is also of particular interest to women’s
groups, both disabled and non-disabled, the staff of
rehabilitation and independent living centres, as well as
healthcare and social workers.”
The explicit and articulate nature of the film, because
it presents women with disabilities speaking about
themselves and their own experiences, would provide
valuable insight into issues of intimacy, sexuality, selfesteem, and love for anyone interested in the lives of
these women.
Description:
What is impressive about Toward Intimacy is its
presentation of the first-hand accounts of four women
with physical disabilities as they talk about the role that
disability has played in shaping their experiences with
self-esteem, sexuality, love, and friendship. The film is
powerful because it presents women with disabilities
who speak on their own behalf.
Type:
Length:
Video
61 minutes
The women in Toward Intimacy speak of the
considerable sense of isolation they experienced
as children because of their disabilities, and of the
considerable hunger they had for friendship and
partnership as they grew up and became women. The
comments of two of the women indicate that they were
provided with little or no information about what their
rights were as children or as people, so that they lacked
a standard against which they could adequately
evaluate the treatment they received at the hands of
others.
Part One
Title:
The video conveys a strong message that it is crucial
that children with disabilities be raised with love, with
a sense of being valued, with education about their
rights and privileges as human beings, and with a full
sense of their opportunities to have emotionally sound
and physically intimate relationships. Toward Intimacy
effectively conveys a sense of these women wanting
to be acknowledged as women first—women who
also have disabilities—rather than as disabled, nongendered people who cannot possibly have an interest
in relationships, friendship, sexuality, or having a family
of their own.
The video focuses on each woman several times
throughout the course of the documentary. Film
footage presents the women speaking to the camera
and also represents them in the contexts of their current
relationships and family, their homes, their schooling,
or their work. There is also footage of a support group
for women with disabilities and of a larger conference
for women with disabilities.
Part One
Author: Rivers-Moore, Bridget
Title:
Family Violence Against Women with Disabilities
Year:
Publisher:
1993
National Clearinghouse on
Family Violence, Ottawa, ON
Availability:
PDF and HTML versions available online at
www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hppb/familyviolence. As well, the
booklet can be copied, with acknowledgements, as
long as it is not for a commercial purpose. Available
in alternate formats upon request.
Audience:
People who support or work with women with
developmental disabilities. This could include
caregivers, parents, friends, service providers,
educators, social workers, etc.
Description:
This booklet clearly and directly explains the issue
of violence against people with disabilities, in this
case, focusing on women. The aim of the publication
is to raise awareness about the issue, and it does so
in a concise, straightforward manner. As well as
providing statistics and summaries of research, the
document spends time explaining the reasons for
increased vulnerability and the myths that surround
disabilities. The author explains, for example, “The
large number of people and the intimate physical and
emotional contact involved in the care they provide,
greatly increases the risk of abuse to persons with
disabilities” (2).
This document can be used to introduce family
members, friends, or professionals who work with
women with disabilities to the issue of violence.
Type:
Length:
Booklet/pamphlet
8 pages
Further training would then be needed to develop
skills and strategies for addressing the issue, but
this document would serve as a good starting point,
especially for individuals who are new to the ideas of
violence, vulnerability, and power.
The document is clearly formatted, using bulleted
information and short paragraphs.
Set-Up:
Information is organized under several headings. These
are:
• What is Family Violence?
• Violence Against Women
• What Makes Women with Disabilities Particularly
Vulnerable to Family Violence?
• Prevalence of Abuse
• Barriers to Obtaining Help
• Forms of Violence
• The Abuser
• How We Can Work Towards Eliminating Abuse
• What You Can Do to Help
• Where to Go to Get Help
This primary content is contained in the first 5 pages
of the booklet; the remaining three pages include a
suggested reading list, endnotes, acknowledgements,
and publication information.
Author: The Capital Region Centre for the Hearing Impaired
Safety for You
Year:
Producer:
Not provided
The Capital Region Centre for the
Hearing Impaired, Ottawa, ON
Availability:
Ottawa Deaf Centre, at (613) 729-1467; TTY:
(613) 729-6189. Price: $21.00.
Audience:
The video is directed at people who are deaf, people
suffering from abuse, and a general audience.
Description:
This video dramatizes family violence between a couple
who are same-sex and deaf. It uses American Sign
Language with English language voiceover throughout.
One partner returns home drunk and violent, shoves her
partner Kelsey, throws the dinner she is cooking on the
floor, blames Kelsey for making her angry, and leaves
to buy more beer. Kelsey uses her TTY phone to call
911 because she is afraid of what will happen when her
partner returns. We witness the 911 call, and the followup visit by a police officer. The police officer explains
that there are protective services to help Kelsey, and that
unless her partner wants to get help, the abuse won’t
stop and she will remain at risk.
Type:
Length:
Video
23 minutes
The video clearly shows the various services available
to Kelsey. Donna, from Police Victims Services, arrives
and explains the options available to Kelsey, such as
support groups and shelters. Kelsey discovers that
shelters are free and safe, and that they provide food
and space. Donna and Kelsey decide that Kelsey
should go to a women’s shelter for her own protection.
At the shelter, Kelsey learns that if she wishes to return
home or find a new place to live, people at the shelter
will help her to take those actions when she is ready.
Part One
Title:
The video helps familiarize viewers with the
procedures that take place once the authorities are
notified in an abusive situation. It shows that services
are available for people who are deaf or hearing
impaired, and it briefly addresses the issues of samesex partner abuse and of women with disabilities. The
video’s message is clear: no matter who you are, if help
is needed in getting out of an abusive relationship, there
are systems in place to assist in making the best, safest
choice.
Part One
Author: The Capital Region Centre for the Hearing Impaired
Title:
Violence Can Happen to You
Year:
Producer:
1998
The Capital Region Centre for the
Hearing Impaired, Ottawa, ON
Availability:
Contact the National Clearinghouse on Family
Violence at 1-800-267-1291; TTY: 1-800-561-5643.
Or visit their website at www.hc-sc.gc.ca/nc-cn.
Price: $21.00.
Audience:
The video is intended for people who are deaf, people
who have been abused, and advocates for abuse
prevention.
Description:
This brief video addresses various forms of abuse. It
uses American Sign Language with English language
voiceover throughout. The video begins with four
women sitting around a kitchen table, chatting. One
woman, Lise, recently got a job at a women’s centre,
and she discusses what she has learned about family
violence since working there. This leads to Melanie’s
story, a dramatized account of her husband’s verbal
and physical abuse toward her. Lise explains the
Type:
Length:
Video
16 minutes
cycle of abuse and says that it can be perpetrated by a
husband, boyfriend, or same-sex partner. This triggers
Kelsey’s story, an account of abuse in a same-sex
couple.
Kelsey’s story reiterates that there are different kinds
of abuse, some of which are hard to recognize, and it
breaks the stereotype that women do not treat each other
abusively. Lise discusses the idea that abuse takes many
shapes and forms. She explains that abuse is about
power and control, and that when someone is made to
feel badly about themselves, it can leave them feeling
worthless so that they won’t act in their own defense.
This discussion leads to Julie’s story, a dramatized
account wherein her boyfriend insults and dismisses
her and her abilities in front of her mother. Lise tells her
that this is an example of verbal and emotional abuse.
The women decide to form a support group that will
meet once a month to help them as they seek to regain
some of the self-esteem they’ve lost.
Author: The Roeher Institute
Title:
Out of Harm’s Way: A Safety Kit for People with Disabilities Who Feel Unsafe and
Want to Do Something About It
Year:
Publisher:
1997
The Roeher Institute, Toronto, ON
Audience:
This booklet is for “people with disabilities who feel
unsafe and want to do something about it” (viii). The
author also notes that “This book can be used by people
with disabilities, by seniors and by anyone who wants
to be out of harm’s way. It can also be used by anyone
who wants to make our surroundings a safer place for
all of us” (ix-x).
Description:
While referred to as a safety “kit,” this publication
is simply a booklet with activities and questions that
guide its audience in assessing and increasing personal
safety. It is an excellent, hands-on publication. People
with disabilities who complete the tasks in the safety kit
will definitely become more aware of safe and unsafe
situations and will have taken steps to increase their
own safety.
The kit was developed with input from people with
disabilities, as the publisher acknowledges that they
“have the best sense of what changes are needed so that
they can be safer” (viii). The writing is clear and simple,
and the tone is respectful. The useful and practical
nature of the questions and activities is commendable.
Booklet
48 pages, plus a separately
numbered appendix
For example, in the section on safety and places, the
reader is asked to visit a place that has been identified
as possibly unsafe (e.g. a bus stop, a parking lot, a
laundry room). The reader is then advised to visit the
location with a friend or a group of people, to bring a
camera to “take pictures of things you see that are
good or bad about the place” (4), to answer the
provided questions about the location, and to decide
how it could be made safer.
While it is not overtly stated in the booklet, the
activities encourage self-advocacy and independence,
as well as an increased awareness of personal safety.
Set-Up:
The booklet has some introductory information, four
chapters that comprise the safety kit itself, a resources
section, and an appendix – which consists of the
questions asked throughout the kit, but in a format that
can be photocopied. The safety kit chapters are:
Chapter 1:
How the Safety Kit Works
Chapter 2:
Safety Kit for Places
Chapter 3:
Safety Kit for Policies and Procedures
Chapter 4:
Safety Kit for People in Your Life
Each of these chapters includes explanatory material,
activities (usually to be performed with someone the
reader trusts or a group of like-minded individuals),
questions to ponder, and actions to take.
Part One
Availability:
Contact the publisher at (416) 661-9611; TDD
(416) 661-2023; 1-800-856-2207. Or visit their website
at www.roeher.ca. The safety kit can be ordered online.
Price: $5.00, plus discounts for bulk purchases.
Type:
Length:
Part One
Author: The Roeher Institute
Title:
The Right to Control What Happens to Your Body: A Straightforward Guide to
Issues of Sexuality and Sexual Abuse
Year:
Publisher:
1991
Availability:
Contact the publisher at (416) 661-9611; TDD
(416) 661-2023; 1-800-856-2207. Or visit their
website at www.roeher.ca. The booklet can be
ordered online. Price: $7.00, plus discounts for bulk
purchases.
Audience:
The preface notes that this book is designed to be of
use to “self-advocates,” that is to say, the person with
a developmental disability him or herself. While this
is true, some parts seem more directed at a parent,
caregiver, or other trusted person who would play a
role in guiding the individual’s use of the book.
Description:
This book provides basic and essential information
about sexual abuse to individuals with a
developmental disability. The pronouns “you” and
“your” are used, not “they” or “their,” effectively
including the reader with a developmental disability
in his/her learning. As well, disclosures from
people with developmental disabilities are scattered
throughout the book. The language used by the
author, for the most part, is fairly simple, and
those words that may be unfamiliar or difficult to
understand are marked with an asterisk; words so
marked are defined in a “Dictionary” at the end of the
book.
At the centre of this book is an educational board
game called “Choice or Abuse?” In a format akin
to that of Snakes and Ladders, players roll dice or
draw a number in order to move ahead on a board
with 50 squares. A player’s piece “climbs” up stairs
when it lands on a space that indicates a choice has
been made to report information about sexual abuse
or to resist abuse, or when sexual education has been
provided; alternatively, a player’s piece “slides”
back towards to a lower numbered square when it
Type:
Length:
Resource booklet
29 pages
lands on a square that indicates a failure to report abuse
when one is threatened, sterilized, or abused. The book
suggests, “People who play ‘Choice or Abuse’ learn
more about control of what happens to their bodies”
(13).
The book uses a variety of fonts, shadings, tables,
charts, games, and pictures that makes it visually easy
to read/grasp. Some of the tables and charts in the book
seem directed more at a “teacher” guiding the person
with the disability through the book, than they do at the
person with the disability him/herself.
Set-Up:
The book contains eight chapters. The chapter titles,
and some of the more substantial components of each
chapter, are:
Chapter 1:
Sexuality and Sexual Abuse. (Includes “The Bodies of
Men and Women” [with drawings], and “Will Anyone
Believe Me?”)
Chapter 2:
Risk of Sexual Abuse. (Includes “Nine Situations that
Could Make a Child Vulnerable,” and “Myths and
Realities [of Sexual Abuse]”)
Chapter 3:
Recognizing Sexual Abuse. (Includes “Twenty Ways to
Recognize Sexual Abuse”)
The Choice or Abuse Board Game
Chapter 4:
Effects of Sexual Abuse
Chapter 5:
Prevention of Sexual Abuse. (Includes “How Is a Baby
Made?”—a fill-in-the-blank knowledge quiz)
Chapter 6:
Sexually Transmitted Diseases. (Includes graph that
identifies some common STDs, related symptoms, and
treatment)
Chapter 7:
Treatment After Sexual Abuse. (Explains “Medical
Treatment (for the body)” and “Psychological
Treatment (for the mind)”)
Part One
Chapter 8:
Laws About Sexual Abuse. (Encourages use of the
Criminal Code)
Part Two
Part Two: Training/Awareness-raising Materials
for Professionals, Family Members, and Friends
This section lists training/awareness-raising materials that are directed at individuals who are involved in the
lives of people with disabilities, whether on a professional or personal basis. The materials in this section are
intended for self-guided or group learning and raise awareness about violence against people with disabilities
while focusing on practical intervention and prevention strategies.
How to Find What You’re Looking For
The materials in this section are arranged alphabetically by author, but the following audience categories will
provide an efficient means of locating particular materials. Consider these steps/factors:
• Review the eleven categories of audience listed below and decide which one is most appropriate to the
training/awareness-raising being considered for yourself, your family, your colleagues, or your client(s).
• Remember, the materials described in this section have professionals, family members, and friends of people
with disabilities as their primary audience. For materials directed specifically at people with disabilities, refer
to Part One: Training/Awareness-raising Materials for People with Disabilities, starting on page 8. However,
some of the materials listed here in Part Two may be appropriate for people with disabilities, too.
• Once an audience(s) is decided upon, review the entries in that section to find an item that is suitable for the
situation.
• This document also contains a title index (page 85), a type of material index (page 86), a suggested
audience index (page 89), and a subject index (page 90). The type of material index identifies materials that
are available in alternate formats. If one of these indexes would be helpful in locating materials, please refer to
the appropriate page number.
Audience: Professionals, Family Members, and Friends
Parents, Family Members, and Friends of People with Developmental Disabilities
Making a Difference: Preventing and Responding to Abuse of People
with Disabilities– A Learning Guide ...............................................................................................page 46
Emerging Leaders ..................................................................................................................................page 16
Discovering Connections: A Guide to the Fun of Bridging Disability Differences..............................page 18
CDSS (Canadian Down Syndrome Society) Information Series: Explaining Privacy to Children .........................
.........................page
page 23
Do? Be? Do?: What to Teach and How to Teach People with Developmental Disabilities .................page 53
I Openers: Parents Ask Questions About Sexuality and Children with Developmental Disabilities ...page 55
i to I: Self Concept and People with Developmental Disabilities .........................................................page 56
Just Say Know: Understanding and Reducing the Risk of Sexual Victimization of People
with Developmental Disabilities......................................................................................................page 57
Toward a Better Tomorrow: Helping Mentally Handicapped People Stop the Cycle of Violence and Abuse...... page 58
After You Tell ........................................................................................................................................... page 22
Volume 15: Sexual Abuse (also lists other volumes) .......................................................................page 25
Shared Feelings: A Parent Guide to Sexuality Education for Children,
Adolescents and Adults who Have a Mental Handicap ..................................................................page 63
The Person Within: Preventing Abuse of Children and Young People with Disabilities .......................page 73
and Want to Do Something About It ................................................................................................ page 31
The Right to Control What Happens to Your Body: A Straightforward
Guide to Issues of Sexuality and Sexual Abuse ...............................................................................page 32
Sexuality: Your Sons and Daughters with Intellectual Disabilities .......................................................page 75
Family Violence Against People with Intellectual Disabilities ..............................................................page 78
No More Victims: A Manual to Guide Families and Friends in
Addressing the Sexual Abuse of People with a Mental Handicap ..................................................page 79
Sexual Abuse Prevention for Children with Physical Handicaps .........................................................page 41
Aspects of Caring ...................................................................................................................................page 42
CDSS (Canadian Down Syndrome Society) Information Series: Explaining Privacy to Children ................... ...page 23
Violence Against Women with Disabilities .............................................................................................page 10
Developing Personal Safety Skills in Children with Disabilities...........................................................page 11
Making a Difference: Preventing and Responding to Abuse of People with Disabilities
– A Learning Guide..........................................................................................................................page 46
Abuse of Children with Disabilities .......................................................................................................page 50
Toward Intimacy .....................................................................................................................................page 27
Responding to the Abuse of People with Disabilities ............................................................................page 66
Family Violence Against Women with Disabilities.................................................................................page 28
Counsellors, Social Workers, Caregivers, and Caregivers-In-Training Who
Work with People with Developmental Disabilities
Sexual Abuse Prevention: Five Safety Rules for Persons who are Mentally Handicapped .................. page 39
Making a Difference: Preventing and Responding to Abuse of People with Disabilities
– A Learning Guide..........................................................................................................................page 46
The Ethics of Touch: Establishing and Maintaining Appropriate Boundaries in Service ...................page 51
Hand Made Love: A Guide for Teaching about Male Masturbation through Understanding and Video ...............
...............page
page 19
I Contact: Sexuality and People with Disabilities .................................................................................page 54
Just Say Know: Understanding and Reducing the Risk of Sexual Victimization
of People with Developmental Disabilities .....................................................................................page 57
Life Horizons I ........................................................................................................................................ page 60
through Understanding and Video...................................................................................................page 20
Part Two
Parents, Family Members, and Friends of People with Disabilities (Other than
Developmental Disabilities)
Part Two
Hear, Here: Identifying and Supporting People with Developmental Disabilities
Who Have Been Abused ................................................................................................................... page 68
Toward a Better Tomorrow: Helping Mentally Handicapped People
Stop the Cycle of Violence and Abuse..............................................................................................page 58
Child Sexual Abuse Curriculum for the Developmentally Disabled ..................................................... page 71
The Right to Control What Happens to Your Body: A Straightforward Guide
to Issues of Sexuality and Sexual Abuse ..........................................................................................page 32
No More Victims: A Manual to Guide Families and Friends in Addressing
the Sexual Abuse of People with a Mental Handicap .....................................................................page 79
Circles: Intimacy and Relationships ......................................................................................................page 81
Circles: Stop Abuse.................................................................................................................................page 82
Counsellors, Social Workers, Caregivers, and Caregivers-In-Training Working
with People with Disabilities (Other than Developmental Disabilities)
Easy Prey ................................................................................................................................................page 14
How to Talk About Sexuality to Young People with Disabilities: Tips for Service Providers ...............page 45
Breaking Point ........................................................................................................................................ page 65
Charting New Waters: Responding to Violence Against Women with Disabilities ...............................page 47
Don’t Tell Me to Take a Hot Bath: Resource Manual for Crisis Workers .............................................page 64
Double Jeopardy: Women with Disabilities Talk about Abuse and Barriers They Face ......................page 13
Volume 11: Sexuality and Physical Disability (also lists other volumes).......................................page 24
Abuse Prevention in Long Term Care ....................................................................................................page 76
Health Care Professionals Working with People with Disabilities
Violence Against Women with Disabilities: Practical Considerations for Health Care Professionals................ page 43
Sexual Health of Women with Disabilities .............................................................................................page 44
Teachers Working with Students with Disabilities
Sexual Abuse Prevention:Five Safety Rules for Persons Who Are Mentally Handicapped .................. page 39
Sharing Secrets .......................................................................................................................................page 17
Legal and Law Enforcement Communities
Easy Prey ................................................................................................................................................page 14
Admissible in Court: Interviewing Witnesses Who Live with Disabilities ............................................page 62
Orientation to Disability for Crisis Service Providers ..........................................................................page 67
Working Effectively with Persons with Disabilities Against Crime .......................................................page 69
No More Victims: A Manual to Guide Families and Friends in
Addressing the Sexual Abuse of People with a Mental Handicap ..................................................page 79
We Are Those Women: A Training Manual for Working with Women in
Shelters and Sexual Assault Centres................................................................................................page 49
Service Providers Working with People with Disabilities that Affect Communication
Volume 11: Sexuality and Physical Disability (also lists other volumes).......................................page 24
Service Providers Working with Women with Disabilities
Violence Against Women with Disabilities: Practical Considerations for Health Care Professionals................ page 43
We Are Those Women: A Training Manual for Working with Women
with Disabilities in Shelters and Sexual Assault Centres................................................................page 49
Part Two
Victim Services and Women’s Shelters
Service Providers Working With Seniors
Out of Harm’s Way: A Safety Kit for People with Disabilities Who Feel
Unsafe and Want to Do Something About It.................................................................................... page 31
Service Providers Addressing Sexual Abuse
Part Two
Just Say Know: Understanding and Reducing the Risk of Sexual
Victimization of People with Developmental Disabilities ...............................................................page 57
No More Victims: A Manual to Guide Families and Friends in Addressing
the Sexual Abuse of People with a Mental Handicap .....................................................................page 79
Author: Agency for Instructional Technology / Planned
Parenthood Association of Cincinnati, Inc.
Title: Sexual Abuse Prevention: Five Safety Rules for Persons who are Mentally Handicapped
1987
Agency for Instructional
Technology, Bloomington, IN
Availability:
Inquiries regarding the manual and video should be
addressed to Kinetic Inc., 408 Dundas St. East, Toronto
ON, M5A 2A5. Telephone: (416) 963-5979;
Fax: (416) 925-0653.
Audience:
The material presented in the manual is designed for
instructors “to educate persons with mental handicaps
about the concept of sexual abuse, to acquaint them
with situations that have potential for abuse, to equip
them with information and skills to protect themselves,
and to decrease the frequency of sexual abuse and
exploitation of all kinds” (1).
The publisher suggests that an “instructor” is anyone
who provides training in “a school, residence,
workshop, day-care facility, or family home” (1).
Description:
The manual and video outline and provide materials
on sexual abuse for teaching two different levels of
learners with developmental disabilities. Level one
learners “have limited language and conceptual skills,”
and level two learners “are assumed to be capable of
logical thinking based on concrete experience” (9).
The manual and video provide complete lesson plans
and activities to teach learners with developmental
disabilities about sexuality and appropriate private and
public behaviours. The program also teaches them
how to identify inappropriate behaviours and shows
them how to get help if these situations occur. The
manual is clearly written and offers many different
types of learning activities to reach different levels of
learners, including games, figures for colouring, and
questions. The manual offers ways to present sensitive
information, complete with information for parents,
lessons, and follow-up activities.
Type: Instructor’s Manual and Video
Length: Manual: 35 pages, plus 28-page
appendix
Video: 24 minutes
Set-Up:
The manual has six sections. These are:
1. The Introduction (pages 1-2): This section provides
some basic background information on sexual abuse
and people with developmental disabilities.
2. Background Information for Instructors (pages 3-8):
This section offers teaching strategies, and presents
physical, psychological, and family indicators of
sexual abuse. It briefly describes how to approach
victims of sexual abuse and how to report abuse.
3. Extended Activities (pages 9-27): The scripts for
the video vignettes are included in this section,
as are exercises for both levels of learners, to be
used “before viewing,” “while viewing,” and “after
viewing” each vignette. There are helpful games,
and drawing, speaking, or writing activities, to go
along with each video vignette.
4. Involving Parents (pages 28-32): This section
includes a sample letter to parents telling them
about the sexual abuse awareness program their
children will be attending, a “suggested agenda for
a sexual abuse prevention workshop for parents,” an
information sheet, and suggestions for parents.
Part Two
Year:
Publisher:
5. Suggested Readings (page 33): A short bibliography
provides further reading references for instructors
and/or parents.
6. Appendix “Figures” (pages 36-64): In this section,
the “figures” are black-and-white drawings that
may be duplicated for each learner to reinforce the
lessons in the video. They include anatomically
correct sketches of naked men, boys, women, and
girls, as well as a variety of different scenarios, such
as being hugged or standing arm-in arm, as examples
of “good touches,” versus having your skirt tugged
down, or touching your private body parts on a
bus, as examples of “bad touches.”
Part Two
The Video:
The video portrays five vignettes to teach learners
about sexuality and private parts in general, about
appropriate public behaviour, and about recognizing
uncomfortable or abusive situations. It moves from
the general to the specific, offering clear steps to
confronting difficult situations. The lessons taught
are titled “My body belongs to me,” “Keep your
clothes on in public,” “Say no,” “Get away,” and
“Tell someone.” The vignettes include clear signs
for learners: a red X crosses the screen to indicate
inappropriate behaviour, and a green square outlines
the screen when appropriate, proactive, or respectful
behaviours are shown.
The video is low quality, but it shows and explains
simple, everyday situations that viewers will be able
to relate to, and, coupled with the strong teaching
materials included in the instructor’s manual, it could be
a very useful teaching tool.
The only other drawback is that the material is rather
outdated. It might be a good idea to use these materials
in conjunction with more recent ones.
Author: Agency for Instructional Technology / Planned
Parenthood Association of Cincinnati, Inc.
Title:
Sexual Abuse Prevention for Children with Physical Handicaps
Year:
Publisher:
1991
Agency for Instructional
Technology, Bloomington, IN
Type:
Length:
Pamphlet and Video
Pamphlet: 8 pages
Video: 15 minutes
Availability:
Inquiries regarding the guide and video should be
addressed to Kinetic Inc., 408 Dundas St. East, Toronto
ON, M5A 2A5. Telephone: (416) 963-5979;
Fax: (416) 925-0653.
In this brief pamphlet, some good teaching activities are
offered.
Audience:
The material presented in the pamphlet and video is
designed for instructors/teachers “to acquaint children
who are handicapped with situations that have potential
for abuse; equip them with information and skills to
protect themselves; and decrease the frequency of
sexual abuse and exploitation of all kinds” (1). The
publisher suggests that the video vignettes be used as
“discussion starters for other activities” (1).
The Video:
The video begins with an introduction by a man with
multiple sclerosis who explains the idea of personal
safety, and who identifies male and female private body
parts. The video then portrays five different scenarios
in which people with physical disabilities are made to
feel either uncomfortable or threatened. The first two
vignettes encourage learners to trust their feelings, and
attempt to empower learners to recognize that even
though their bodies may require help, this fact does not
allow another person to touch them inappropriately.
The next three vignettes portray inappropriate
behaviours toward people with physical disabilities,
and offer proactive ways of stopping the behaviour,
finding one’s way to safety, and ensuring that the
behaviour does not continue.
Set-Up:
The Pamphlet:
The pamphlet includes a description of the program’s
purpose, format, and objectives (pages 1-2). It
then gives a “Summary of Vignettes/Post-Viewing
Activities” (pages 3-6). The lessons included in the
vignettes are: An introduction to body parts and the idea
of sexual abuse; Your body belongs to you; Trust your
feelings; Say no; Get away; and Tell someone (3).
Several follow-up learning activities are then described.
These include mapping out the learner’s neighbourhood
to identify safe places; using names and phone numbers
for trusted friends and neighbours; using role-playing
scenarios to help children practice saying “no”; writing
essays or poems to reinforce self-esteem; and crafting
happy, sad, and questioning faces that learners use to
identify how different scenarios would make them feel.
Part Two
Description:
This resource outlines how to teach children with a
physical disability about sexual abuse. It provides ideas
for follow-up activities to enhance understanding about
sexual abuse, but it does not provide any supplementary
teaching materials for these activities.
The pamphlet ends with some brief, point-form “Facts
about Sexual Abuse” (pages 7-8).
The video is simple and brief, and while it may be
an effective and quick visual tool, it will need some
reinforcing in terms of background information,
current or contemporary discussion, and the use of
some of the activities suggested in the pamphlet to
reach its program objectives. While this resource is
a suggested tool for teaching children about sexual
abuse, two of the scenarios portray adults with physical
disabilities, and one of the scenarios is not sexual in
nature (as indicated in the title), although it is physically
threatening. This may not be a problem, but it would
probably merit explanation.
Part Two
Title: Aspects of Caring
Year:
Producer:
1994
SME Productions, Toronto, ON
Availability:
Contact the producer at P.O. Box 22060, 45 Overlea
Blvd., Toronto ON, M4H 1N9.
Audience:
The cover case of the video suggests that this film
is for “those looking after someone with a chronic
illness at home; professionals who support caregivers;
volunteers, support services, family, and friends;
students in health, social services, and pastoral care;
[and] staff in long term care facilities involved with
the family caregivers of residents.”
Type:
Length:
Video
28 minutes
Aspects of Caring is an honest recounting of the
challenges these two women face as the disease
progresses rapidly in the first years after diagnosis.
It covers the changing physical and caregiving
requirements Sue comes to need, and the means by
which the narrator seeks to meet those needs on her
own and with the assistance of homemakers, respite
care workers, physical therapists, and registered nurses.
The caregiver’s honesty and her understanding of the
conflicting but realistic emotional impulses and needs
of a caregiver are impressive. The comments of the
narrator-caregiver about the need to develop a support
This video would also be helpful to and informative
network, to acknowledge and meet one’s own needs, to
for those who are either newly involved in, or
confront the reality of conflicting emotional costs and
experienced with, caring for someone diagnosed with rewards that come from caring for a highly dependent
a progressive disease such as Multiple Sclerosis.
person, and to develop skills and support that sustain
a sense of control and independence would be of
Description:
particular interest to those who are providing (or are
Aspects of Caring is a first-hand account of the
about to provide) care for a dependent friend or loved
physical, emotional, spiritual, and practical challenges one.
faced by a caregiver and the person she cares for,
Sue. The narrator-caregiver is present throughout the
video, but she is not named. Sue has been diagnosed
with progressive Multiple Sclerosis at the age of 46.
The film begins three summers after diagnosis and
covers a period of about one and a half years.
Author: Bacon, Joanne
Title:
Violence Against Women with Disabilities: Practical Considerations for
Health Care Professionals
Year:
Publisher:
1994
DisAbled Women’s Network
Ontario
Audience:
The booklet is intended to help “health care professionals
respond effectively to women with disabilities who have been
physically, sexually, and emotionally abused or neglected” (1).
Description:
This booklet acknowledges the important role that health care
professionals play in the lives of women with disabilities and
asserts that these professionals “are in a unique position to
help us recover from the effects of assault and regain control
of our lives” (1). However, in order to make full use of this
position, health care facilities need to be accessible, both
physically and in terms of the attitudes of health care workers
toward people with disabilities.
The booklet is clearly and simply written. It is not a long
document, and health care professionals who consult the
booklet will learn basic information in a short period of time.
The “practical considerations” referred to in the title are
covered in a 10 page section in the middle of the booklet. The
point-form tips, strategies, and explanations presented in this
core section provide health care professionals with a concise,
useful guide to improving accessibility to the health care
system.
At times, the tone of the introductory information runs the
risk of alienating health care professionals. For example, the
introduction states that: “Health care professionals tend to
‘medicalize’ disability and pathologize our symptoms. They
rarely listen or believe us when we share our concerns” (3).
While the information is accurate, health care professionals
reading this information early in the booklet may be
discouraged from reading further.
Later, the author states, “We recognize that many of the
barriers to access in health services exist because of health
Booklet
39 pages
professionals’ lack of awareness, and not because of deliberate
discrimination” (8). This approach seems much more effective
in persuading the health care community to consider changes.
The booklet may be most useful if people using it for training
pick and choose sections for the reader/audience. In particular,
the “practical considerations” section would be most useful.
Set-Up:
Introductory and background information is provided in seven
short sections. These are:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Why we wrote this booklet
Is the health system accessible to disabled women?
Definition of terms
Historical overview
The impact of assault on women with disabilities
Women with disabilities’ Health Bill of Rights
What you can do to help
The information that is most pertinent to health care
professionals is included in a section called “Practical
Considerations for Health Professionals.” This section covers
strategies for improving services in several areas. Each of the
following subheadings includes a brief description and
several bulleted points that provide specific tips, strategies,
or ideas for consideration.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Communication, access, and accommodation
Assessment
Treatment and intervention
Advocacy and support
Staffing policies
Research
Prevention
Concluding information includes a summary of
recommendations (many of these seem directed more at
various levels of government or at advocacy organizations,
than at health care professionals themselves), contacts and
resources, and a bibliography of related publications.
Part Two
Availability:
Order online through the DAWN Ontario website at
http://dawn.thot.net
http://dawn.thot.ne
dawn.thot.net. Click on “Resource Catalogue.” Scroll to
bottom for order information. Price: $5.00.
Type:
Length:
Part Two
Author: Basson, Rosemary
Title:
Sexual Health of Women with Disabilities
Year:
Publisher:
1998
Canadian Medical Association
Journal, Ottawa, ON
Availability:
A PDF version of this article is available at
www.cmaj.ca/cgi/reprint/159/4/359.pdf. The article
can also be found in the August 25, 1998 edition of
the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
Audience:
This article is intended for doctors and other medical
professionals who will encounter women with
disabilities in their practices.
Description:
Unlike the other entries in the inventory, this article is
scholarly in nature. It is a peer- reviewed article from
the Canadian Medical Association Journal. The intent
of the article, however, is clearly to raise awareness in
the medical field about the “often neglected” sexual
health of women with disabilities. The author notes,
Most physicians will be involved in the care
of physically or mentally challenged women.
Nevertheless, there is little in the medical literature
about sexuality and disability, and many medical
school curricula have only recently begun to address
the issue in any detail. Various myths about sexuality
Type: Article
Length: 4 pages
and disability prevail in our society, with the result
that the sexual well-being of disabled women is often
neglected” (359).
Along with information that raises awareness about
sexuality and disability, Basson suggests ways for
physicians to improve the service they provide to
patients with disabilities. For example, she recommends
that “The physician can provide validation by
initiating discussion of the woman’s sexual function
and of safer sexual practices” (359). She also states,
“Encouragement to explore non-penetrative and nongenital stimulation may need to be explicit.” These
practical suggestions occur throughout the article.
Basson’s tone is frank and direct as she addresses her
colleagues. Perhaps physicians who read this article
would be more inclined to take an interest in the topic
simply because it is presented by a peer. This article
could be used successfully in a campaign to raise
awareness among health professionals about the sexual
health of women (or men) with disabilities.
Author: British Columbia Institute Against Family Violence
Title:
How to Talk About Sexuality to Young People with Disabilities: Tips for Service
Providers
Year:
Publisher:
1996
BC Institute Against Family
Violence (BCIFV), Vancouver, BC
Audience:
As the title suggests, this publication is for service
providers who work with young people with
disabilities. Service providers could include those who
work in group homes, provide counselling, provide
health services, or teach youth with disabilities.
Description:
This brochure provides ten tips to consider when
speaking about sexuality with young people with
disabilities. The tone is clear and respectful, but the
general nature of the information is meant only to raise
awareness or stimulate interest. The brochure does not
Pamphlet
3 pages
go into detail about the points it raises, but does provide
a short bibliography of supporting materials that readers
can access to learn more.
For example, the second tip states, “Effective sexuality
education should include information about feelings,
communication, boundaries, and building relationships”
(1). No details are provided on how to accomplish this
task, but the bibliography refers to materials that explain
these concepts.
Set-Up:
Ten different tips are suggested for guiding the ways
service providers talk to young people with disabilities.
The tips appear in bold face and are followed by a
few lines of explanation. The last page lists materials
on sexuality and disability that can be borrowed from
BCIFV through the Sunny Hill Health Centre.
Part Two
Availability:
An HTML version of the brochure is available on the
BC Institute Against Family Violence website at:
www.bcifv.org/resources/newsletter/1996/fall/sexandyouth.shtml
Type:
Length:
Part Two
Author: Brown, Jacqueline and Pat Mirenda
Title:
Making a Difference: Preventing and Responding to Abuse of People with
Disabilities – A Learning Guide
Year:
Publisher:
1997
British Columbia Ministry for
Children and Families
Availability:
Acquire through a library or interlibrary loan.
Audience:
The publication identifies its target audiences as “paid
caregivers and social workers” but suggests that “the
information will also be beneficial to self-advocates,
friends, family members, and other supporters” (4) of
people with developmental disabilities. It seems to be
intended as a self-study guide.
Description:
This manual is well organized. It defines, identifies,
and addresses in concrete terms, the abuse issues that
caregivers and social workers need to be aware of
regarding clients with developmental disabilities. It
also identifies, in accessible language, the signs and
effects of abuse and neglect, as well as what can be
done to recognize and prevent abuse from occurring.
Its aim is to “provide practical information and
strategies” for its readers.
Along with background information about the
kinds of abuse and the common forms they can
take, the manual provides a combination of legal
and medical definitions, hypothetical situations and
examples, and occasional brief, anonymous accounts
of individuals who have experienced or witnessed
abuse. The hypothetical examples and the real life
accounts, which personalize the information, would
be particularly appealing to the caregivers and social
workers reading this learning guide. The blend
of formats effectively communicates a range of
perspectives about critical issues and practices.
Type:
Length:
Learning guide
48 pages
The underlying philosophy guiding the development of
the manual is that “people with development disabilities
are entitled to the same rights and freedoms that
nondisabled people take for granted: to be treated with
fairness, dignity, and respect; to participate fully in the
community and the workforce; and to make informed
lifestyle and relationship choices” (4).
Set-Up:
The manual consists of some preliminary information
and five parts:
Part 1: Understanding the Issues
Part 2: Recognizing the Signs, Understanding the
Effects
Part 3: Working Together for Change
Part 4: Dealing with Suspected Abuse
Part 5: Resources
The preliminary information section includes the
headings “About This Manual,” “Acknowledgements,”
and “Terms and Definitions.”
Parts 1 to 4 begin with learning objectives and conclude
with a quiz that reviews the content of the section.
The questions are fairly straightforward and provide
a convenient and immediate means of reviewing and
reinforcing the information covered in any given part of
the manual. These first four parts contain the primary,
awareness-raising content.
Part 5 lists relevant resources, both print and community
based.
Author: Chapman, Connie
Title:
Charting New Waters: Responding to Violence Against Women with Disabilities
Year:
Publisher:
1996
Justice Institute of British
Columbia
Audience:
The material presented in the workshop and the
scenarios in the video are directed at “police, Crown
council, victim service workers, caregivers, social
service workers, and others who work with women
with disabilities” (2). The publisher explains that “the
content of the workshop assumes that participants
are familiar with the nature and dynamics of violence
against women” (2).
When delivering the workshop, the publisher
recommends that it be “co-facilitated by a person who
has experience in the justice system in responding
to violence against women and a person who is an
advocate for women with disabilities or is experienced
in working with women with disabilities” (6).
Description:
This resource outlines and provides the materials for
hosting a six-hour workshop on the issue of violence
against women with disabilities. It can be offered as a
one-day session or two three-hour sessions.
The workshop materials and the video present concrete
practical steps that can be taken to support women with
disabilities who have experienced or are experiencing
violence. Workshop participants are taught to recognize
barriers and play a role in breaking them down.
Set-Up:
The Facilitator’s guide is clearly written, well
organized, and beautifully formatted. It uses a stepby-step approach to direct the facilitator in leading a
successful workshop. The guide has three parts:
1. Introduction (pages 1-8):
This section briefly outlines pertinent details about the
issue of violence against women with disabilities (e.g.
definitions of abuse and disabilities, statistics). It also
provides valuable tips and suggestions for hosting the
workshop.
2. Workshop Guide (pages 9-23):
This section walks the facilitator through the six-hour
session. The topics that will be discussed throughout
the day are listed, and each topic is accompanied by a
suggested time frame, a purpose statement, a selection
of activities, and content notes. The topics and time
frames are:
• Overview of the Workshop
30 minutes
• Violence Against Women with Disabilities
30 minutes
• The Nature of Disabilities
30 minutes
• Responding to Violence Against Women with Disabilities
75 minutes
• Vulnerability and Disability
30 minutes
• Systemic and Personal Barriers
30 minutes
• Adapting and Modifying Existing Approaches
60 minutes
• Supporting Strategies
45 minutes
• Debrief and Closure
15 minutes
Part Two
Availability:
Non-profit and community organizations can send a
cheque or money order for the guide and video to the
Justice Institute of British Columbia, 715 McBride
Blvd., New Westminster BC, V3L 5T4. The cost is
$65.00. Include name, mailing address, company name,
phone number, and fax number with the order; as well,
indicate whether or not a request is being made for a
closed-captioned version of the materials.
Type: Workshop Facilitator’s Guide and Video
Length: Guide: 23 pages, plus handouts
Video: 35 minutes
The Overview of the Workshop component includes
the learning objectives, the activities to use, and
directions for when to take breaks. In the Responding
to Violence Against Women with Disabilities
component, the facilitator is instructed to show the
accompanying video.
3. Workshop Materials:
This last section includes overheads, worksheets, and
handouts to use with the workshop. They are enclosed
in plastic page protectors and are not hole-punched
like the rest of the guide.
Part Two
The Video:
The “dramatized vignettes” in this video introduce
the viewer to three women with disabilities who are
experiencing abuse. The scenarios are all different and
focus on the uniqueness of each individual’s situation.
After each situation is played out, various advocates for
women with disabilities, some of them with disabilities
themselves, thoughtfully and compassionately
explain the factors that contribute to each individual’s
vulnerability. They also offer practical, sometimes
simple, strategies for playing a role in breaking down
the barriers the women face.
The scenarios sensitively portray the women and those
who are trying to help them. The police, the victim
service providers, and the family members are all
attempting to assist the women, but find themselves
frustrated by the personal and systemic barriers the
women are struggling against.
Author: Eastcott, Doris Rajan
Title:
We Are Those Women: A Training Manual for Working with Women with
Disabilities in Shelters and Sexual Assault Centres
Year:
Publisher:
1994
Ontario
Audience:
Two audiences are identified for the training manual.
It is intended for facilitators to use in training women
with disabilities who will then visit women’s shelters
and sexual assault centres to raise staff awareness about
violence against women with disabilities.
It is also intended for the shelter and assault centre
staff themselves. The binder format of the manual
was chosen specifically for this second group. The
author states, “Since women working in these types of
agencies do not have the time to sit down and read a
comprehensive report-like document, we have presented
this manual in a binder for your convenience. One can
pull sections from the binder and read these … without
having to read the entire document” (8).
Description:
While the author identifies this binder as a training
manual, the material within it does not include lesson
plans, learning objectives, or workshop activities. In
some ways, it is more of an awareness-raising manual
with background information for a workshop facilitator
to consult when designing a session.
Training Manual
44 pages
poor. ... We may be married, divorced, with a samesex partner, or single” (1). Then this section goes into
detail about some of the circumstances that lead to the
discrimination faced by women with disabilities, such
as racism, sexism, and ableism.
Section Two: About This Manual
This section explains how the manual evolved out
of previous DAWN projects that raised the issue of
accessible services for women with disabilities who
face violence. It also explains how to use the manual in
various settings.
Section Three: The Issue
This section provides definitions of and information
about violence in general and violence against women
with disabilities in particular.
Section Four: Problem Areas
This section defines the term accessibility and then
outlines access problems that women with disabilities
face when they attempt to access women’s shelters or
sexual assault centres. Several short case studies in this
section provide a compelling glimpse of the effects
that inaccessible shelters have had on women with
disabilities.
Set-Up:
The manual is divided into the following six sections:
Section Five: Is Your Organization Accessible?
This section provides checklists that will help shelters
and sexual assault centres determine how accessible
their services are. The checklists cover two areas:
Physical Access, and Sensitive Practices and Service.
Section One: Who We Are
This section describes the community of women with
disabilities: “Like you, we are from many ethno-racial,
First Nations’, and linguistic backgrounds. We are
heterosexual, bisexual, lesbian, old and young, rich and
Section Six: Resources
This section provides contact information for disability
advocacy organizations in Ontario, as well as relevant
literature. Some of the contact information may be out
of date because the manual was published in 1994.
Part Two
Availability:
Order online through the DAWN Ontario website at
http://dawn.thot.net
http://dawn.thot.ne
dawn.thot.net. Click on “Resource Catalogue.”
Scroll to bottom for order information. Price: $30.00.
Type:
Length:
Part Two
Author: Frazee, Catherine with the assistance of Patricia Seeley
Title:
Abuse of Children with Disabilities
Year:
Publisher:
2000
Availability:
HTML version available on line at
www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hppb/familyviolence. Formatted/
designed version can be obtained by calling the
National Clearinghouse at 1-800-267-1291.
TTY: 1-800-561-5643. Available in alternate formats
upon request.
Audience:
This publication is intended for people who support
or work with children with disabilities. This could
include caregivers, parents, friends, service providers,
Description:
This booklet provides an overview of the issue of
child abuse, focusing on the abuse of children with
disabilities. It emphasizes the increased vulnerability
of children with disabilities as well as the role that we
all play in addressing the issue. The author adamantly
states, “Although some people think child abuse is a
private family matter, it is not. Every member of the
Type:
Length:
Booklet/pamphlet
16 pages
public has a responsibility to safeguard the well-being
of all children, including children with disabilities” (3).
The booklet provides only a very brief overview of the
issue, about four pages. Its intent seems to be to direct
readers to other, more detailed resources on this topic.
Set-Up:
The primary content is divided under five different
headings:
• Facts to Consider
• What is Child Abuse?
• Are Children with Disabilities More Vulnerable to
Abuse?
• What Can Be Done to Prevent Abuse of Children
with Disabilities?
• Reporting Abuse of a Child with a Disability
The remainder of the publication provides information
on resources (community, organizational, print, and
audiovisual) for learning more about child abuse
intervention and prevention.
Author: Harber, Mary and Dave Hingsburger
Title:
The Ethics of Touch: Establishing and Maintaining Appropriate Boundaries
in Service to People with Developmental Disabilities
Year:
Publisher:
1998
Diverse City Press, Richmond
Hill, ON
Audience:
The videos and guidebook are directed at new
or experienced staff who work with people with
Description:
The Ethics of Touch guide corresponds directly with the
training videos. Essentially, the guide is a workbook.
It consists of four modules that will guide the learner
through the topic areas covered in the videos. The
resource can be used in two ways: as a self-study
guide to be worked through at an individual’s pace,
or in a group format with a trainer or facilitator. Clipart characters in the workbook indicate questions for
individuals or groups.
Set-Up:
The first three modules are integrated with the videos.
As you work your way through the guide (or as a
facilitator guides you through it), you will be directed
to start and stop the video. Each module begins with
a story related to the topic being presented. Then the
reader is encouraged to consider specific questions/
scenarios while watching a segment of the video. When
the video gives the direction to pause, viewers are asked
to complete exercises relevant to the segment they’ve
just watched. Small group activities often involve
brainstorming and discussion.
The authors emphasize that the questions the reader/
participant are asked “are not a test. These questions
will provide you with the opportunity to reflect on the
issues that you are dealing with every day as a person
who supports people with disabilities” (4).
Videos and Guide
Video One: 68” Video Two: 60”
28 pages
The four modules in the guide are:
Module 1: Privacy Issues
This module explores issues relating to privacy and
identifies five areas of privacy that must be understood
in order to provide respectful service to people with
developmental disabilities. This module coincides with
the first video.
Module 2: Relationships and Affection
This module, which coincides with the first part of
the second video, examines the relationships that staff
have with the people they serve and the use of affection
in these relationships. This module helps to establish
boundaries and clarify roles for staff and others as they
develop relationships with the people they serve.
Module 3: Intimate Care
This module assists staff members in identifying
issues in the provision of personal care, as well as
strategies for increasing the safety of environments
and developing sound practice guidelines. This module
coincides with the second part of the second video.
Part Two
Availability:
For information on the videos and their availability,
contact Diverse City Press at (514) 297-3080. Or visit
their website at www.diverse-city.com/display.html.
Order online by clicking on “The Store” icon.
Price: $110.00 U.S.
Type:
Length:
Guide:
Module 4: Practice Guidelines for Managers and
Administration
This module does not have a video component. It
provides information on the need for developing
practice guidelines and protocols for staff members and
administrators. This section is about setting standards
of practice to ensure the safety and rights of the people
being served.
Videos:
When the video begins, a title and bulleted points
outline the material that will be covered. The
information on the screen corresponds with the
information in the workbook.
Essentially, the videos are taped versions of a workshop
conducted by Dave Hingsburger. As such, the viewer
Part Two
observes Hingsburger as he speaks to a variety of
people who support people with developmental
disabilities (caregivers, group home administrators,
etc.). Hingsburger’s presentation is shaped by his
experience in the field, practical tips, suggestions,
and demonstrations. Occasionally, members of
the audience illustrate a point through role play.
While the camera generally remains focused on
Hingsburger, we also see shots of the audience. He
encourages questions from the audience, so parts of the
video follow a question and answer format.
During the video, you will be prompted to stop the tape
and answer various questions in your workbook. The
authors state, “This is to ensure that you feel like a part
of the audience and can participate in the workshop
learning experience” (4).
Title:
Do? Be? Do?: What to Teach and How to Teach People with Developmental
Disabilities
Year:
Publisher:
1998
Richmond Hill, ON
Audience:
This book is aimed at professionals who teach people with
developmental and learning disabilities, whether in long-term
care facilities, group homes, or schools. It would be of interest
to those who seek to develop a pragmatic, attentive approach
to teaching skills that will contribute to the development of
meaningful abilities for their students/clients.
Description:
Hingsburger writes as a person with considerable professional,
hands-on experience teaching individuals with learning and
developmental disabilities about relationships, sexuality,
and self-protection. He also teaches other professionals who
work with people with these disabilities. His writing is affable
and informal, and the book draws energy from a healthy
skepticism about teaching methods and programs that focus
only on acquiring skills and not on contributing something
meaningful to the learner.
Hingsburger proposes that “A skill is a task that you can
do with your hands. An ability is a competence that comes
from heart, mind, soul and personality” (8). As a result of his
experience with a serious, life-threatening illness, the author’s
approach to the content and processes of teaching individuals
with developmental disabilities is keenly pragmatic. Why, he
asks, would one spend years teaching an individual to make a
bed perfectly if this skill will not contribute to that individual’s
life in a meaningful and rewarding way? Hingsburger notes,
“If I had to make a choice between making a bed and making
a friend, it would be an easy choice” (3).
In this spirit, Do? Be? Do? proposes a 10-point “radical
plan” to counter the unproductive, anxiety-producing
experiences that have affected and restricted fruitful learning
for many people with developmental disabilities. This plan
addresses the importance of minute-by-minute evaluation
on the part of the instructor to determine the appropriateness,
practicality, and effectiveness of the means of instruction in
Guidebook
124 pages
order to provide—rather than impose—learning. This can be
achieved, Hingsburger maintains, by respecting the individual
and interacting with him or her in a manner responsive to the
requirements of his/her disability.
This guidebook does not directly address the issue of
violence and disability. By identifying how and what to teach
people with developmental disabilities, it aims to increase
independence and self-esteem, traits that will reduce the
likelihood of abuse occurring.
Set-Up:
The book contains eight chapters, each with different content.
Briefly outlined here, the chapters include the following:
Chapter 1:
Explores the history of teaching skills rather than abilities
to individuals with developmental disabilities.
Chapter 2:
Includes anecdotes that highlight the importance of
interpreting the behaviour of individuals with developmental disabilities to better understand their meaning,
and the best ways to meet the needs of such individuals.
Hingsburger’s “Radical Plan” is in this chapter.
Chapter 3:
Makes use of anecdotes to elaborate upon two teaching
strategies: to evaluate constantly and to respect the
disability (31).
Chapter 4:
Outlines the appropriate uses of “12 Teaching Tools.”
Chapter 5:
Focuses on learning strategies that are fun, including
“Video Self Modelling” and “Game Approaches.”
Chapter 6:
Comprises a brief discussion of appropriate uses of data
and its relative importance.
Chapter 7:
Provides an extended discussion of the use of reinforcers:
the kinds of reinforcers, their appropriateness and conditions
for use, and the ethical concerns regarding their misuse.
Chapter 8:
Summarizes the general lessons contained in Do? Be? Do?
by presenting “22 Principles of Good Teaching.”
Part Two
Availability:
website at www.diverse-city.com/display.htm
www.diverse-city.com/display.ht . Order online
through “The Store” link. Price: $15.00.
Type:
Length:
Part Two
Title:
I Contact: Sexuality and People with Disabilities
Year:
Publisher:
1992
Vida Publishing, Lake Park, FL
Availability:
Contact the publisher at (336) 581-3700. Or visit
their website at www.mhaspectsofdd.com. Click on
“Other Publications.” Price: $15.00 US plus shipping
and handling. Book also available through library or
Interlibrary Loan.
Audience:
People who work with people with developmental
disabilities.
Description:
This book has been included as a training/awarenessraising resource because each chapter, in a “What
Can You Do” section, contains tips for professionals
who work with people with disabilities. But it is
Hingsburger’s sense of humour, compassion, and
sensitivity to his clients’ right and need to love
that make this book such an important tool. As a
counselor working with people with disabilities,
Hingsburger relies on personal experiences to make
his points about love and sexuality. In the preface, he
notes,
The basic message of this book is that all people
can love and all people can make human contact
with other people. This book is written for the
people who work closest with clients. In a sense
it is dedicated to those who have the greatest
impact in this field, those who have personal
contact with people with developmental
disabilities. I learned most of what I know about
people with disabilities from this kind of contact.
In this short, easy-to-read book, Hingsburger shares
“a few case stories” and offers “suggestions for
how these lessons can affect our direct, person-toperson work” (Preface). The suggestions he makes
are simple, but he hopes that they will “make some
changes that will enable people with disabilities to
feel with integrity” (Preface).
Type:
Length:
Book
107 pages
As with other Hingsburger publications, his
conversational tone, his power as a storyteller, and his
willingness to learn from his clients combine to create a
wonderful and moving read.
Set-Up:
The book has six chapters. Each chapter ends with a
“What Can You Do” section that provides practical tips
and strategies and a summary section. The chapters are:
1. My Mistake:
While working with a client, the author realizes that
he’s made a terrible mistake – he’s forgotten about his
client’s capacity to love and care for others.
2. The Basis of Love:
In order to love others in a healthy and appropriate
fashion, we first must learn to love ourselves. How do
people with disabilities learn to love themselves?
3. Privacy:
Privacy is a learned concept. Understanding privacy is
essential for developing healthy, respectful boundaries
on a personal and sexual level. What factors influence
the “private” world of a person with developmental
disabilities?
4. Relationships:
Relationships are an important aspect of anyone’s life.
But for many people with disabilities, relationships
are with paid professionals. How does this affect/alter
the idea of a relationship?
5. Yes … But:
This chapter looks at the questions raised by
professionals who work with people with disabilities,
especially in terms of sexuality.
6. What’s Love Got to Do With It?:
In this concluding segment, Hingsburger challenges
all of us to examine our attitudes toward love, sex,
and sexuality. His words here are affirming and
inspiring, but he cautions that loving takes courage
and perseverance.
Title:
I Openers: Parents Ask Questions About Sexuality and Children with
Developmental Disabilities
Year:
Publisher:
1993
Family Support Institute Press,
Vancouver, BC
Audience:
This book is aimed at parents of, and those who
take care of, young individuals with developmental
disabilities. The book might also be a useful resource
for caretakers and/or educators who work in longterm care facilities or group homes, and for healthcare
professionals who are sought out for advice about
dealing with the sexuality of young individuals with
Description:
In a direct, caring, professional, respectful, and
humorous manner, this book addresses a wide range of
issues associated with sexuality and with the sexuality
of children with developmental disabilities. Although
Dave Hingsburger is identified as the author, he has
worked in partnership here with a number of individuals
with relevant professional, personal, and educational
experience to produce this volume.
Rather than guess at questions that parents of children
with developmental disabilities might have about
sexuality, or seek to answer questions that “should”
be asked, I Openers responds directly to questions
about sexuality that parents submitted to the Family
Support Institute. As such, the questions and concerns
of parents serve as the “driving force behind the
book” (vii). Furthermore, the first draft of the book
was “sent to parents for review [,] and their comments
[were] incorporated into the book” (viii). This review
was meant to ensure that “the tone of the book was
respectful and the answers practical.”
Book
86 pages
Significantly, “this is not so much a book on sexuality
as it is a book on teaching about sexuality and learning
to talk to children with different learning styles about
sexuality” (2).
Beginning from the general principle that all humans
are inherently sexual, and that the recognition of this
fact contributes to the acknowledgement and protection
of a child’s developing sexuality, I Openers begins by
answering questions that range from queries about why
such a book is necessary (2), to the questions “When do
I have to start [educating my child about sexuality]?”
(13) and “Should my husband be involved in sex
education with our child who has a disability?” (36).
Set-Up:
As mentioned above, this book provides answers to
specific questions raised by parents of children with
developmentally disabled children. Questions appear
in boldface type, while answers follow in normal
font. Answers often include a mix of professional
experiences, statistics, stories and analogies, medical
facts, and personal insight.
I Openers begins by answering general questions
about sexuality and moves towards queries about the
following concerns: dating; the appropriateness of
getting a pet for companionship for a child who is
unlikely to have many close relationships; puberty for
boys and girls; sexual drive; the concerns of parents
with conservative religious beliefs; masturbation;
menstruation; and much more. In all, 30 questions are
asked and responded to in a frank and comprehensive
manner.
Part Two
Availability:
Contact the publisher at #300, 30 East 6th Ave.,
Vancouver BC, V5T 4P4. Or call them at
(604) 875-1119 (Voice and TTY). Cost: $5.35 plus
shipping and handling.
Type:
Length:
Part Two
Title:
i to I: Self Concept and People with Developmental Disabilities
Year:
Publisher:
1992
Vida Publishing, Richmond Hill,
ON
Type:
Length:
Book
124 pages
Availability:
Contact the publisher at (336) 581-3700. Or visit
their web site at: www.mhaspectsofdd.com. Click on
“Other Publications.” Price: $15.00 US plus shipping
and handling. Book also available through library or
interlibrary loan.
in which all people can learn to love themselves and
others. We are trying to create a means for individuals
with developmental handicaps to free themselves of
systemic and societal bigotry and enter the world full
of pride in who they are and what they have achieved”
(75).
Audience:
Persons who provide care and/or counseling services
for people with developmental disabilities.
Set-Up:
The book is divided into a preface, six chapters, and
an epilogue. Each chapter ends with a summary and
a bulleted “What You Can Do” section with practical
suggestions for improving the current system. The
chapters address the following issues:
Description:
Like other Hingsburger books, this one is written in a
warm, witty, and very human manner. While it does
not focus on the issue of abuse and disability, the
premise – that “A strong sense of self is needed for
people with disabilities, indeed any minority group
member, to carve out a place in society” (30) – holds
true for developing a positive and healthy sexual
identity.
The real strength in Hingsburger’s books is that they
are easy, even delightful, to read. He has worked his
entire career providing support to individuals with
developmental disabilities, so he knows what he is
talking about. He draws on his own experiences, ones
that will ring true for his audience. This book, slightly
over 100 pages, moves along quickly. His stories raise
awareness, but they are also funny, interesting, and
full of helpful suggestions.
He shares this philosophy: “Yes there are problems,
but we are building something much greater than
ourselves. We are trying to build a society in which all
people have a place. We are trying to build a system
Chapter 1:
The importance of self-concept in creating societal
change.
Chapter 2:
The complex relationships between parents, children,
and staff.
Chapter 3:
The concept of “self” versus the concept of
“authority.”
Chapter 4:
The role workers play in promoting a positive selfconcept.
Chapter 5:
Nine clear steps for setting up a success-filled
environment.
Chapter 6:
A success story.
Title:
Just Say Know: Understanding and Reducing the Risk of Sexual
Victimization of People with Developmental Disabilities
Year:
Publisher:
1995
Richmond ON
Audience:
A note on the back cover indicates that this book provides
“information that can be used immediately by anyone who
wants to help or heal.” It is directed at caregivers, counsellors,
front-line workers, and others who work with people with
developmental disabilities. It would also be useful for friends,
family members, or anyone whose life has been touched by
an individual with a developmental disability.
Description:
The aim of this book is to raise awareness about the sexual
victimization of people with developmental disabilities and
to educate the caregivers, social workers, counsellors, and all
other people who work with these individuals.
In this book, Hingsburger writes with wit, warmth, and
passion. He discusses the damage that our practices and
assumptions about vulnerability and sexuality have done
to people with developmental disabilities. Then, he offers
suggestions for ways that we can counter this damage. He
writes clearly and, at the end of each chapter, summarizes
his arguments in a few points under the heading “Plain
Language.”
He encourages us to look beyond what has traditionally
been considered acceptable in the care provided to people
with developmental disabilities, and in recognizing the role
“the system” plays in fostering sexual abuse. Nonetheless,
his message is optimistic, and he believes the steps needed
to reduce the risk of sexual abuse in his clients’ lives are
achievable. In a short, introductory section titled “The
Source,” he writes:
Sexual victimization is a subject that people avoid. The fact
that you are reading this book means that you are part of the
solution. I hope that you will get at least one “Do-able” idea. If
you do, then I have done my job. We all must do what we can
when we can. Inaction in the face of inhumanity may be the
greatest sin. (ix)
Book
93 pages
Set-Up:
The book is divided into five chapters. Each of these chapters
has the following sections: a “Plain Language” section that
summarizes the main points in the chapter; a “What Can You
Do” section that provides practical and affirming strategies
to incorporate into your relationships (professional or
otherwise) with people with developmental disabilities; and
a “Summary” section that winds up each chapter. The five
chapters address the following topics:
Chapter 1:
This chapter presents two ideas. The first cautions
administrators about developing policies that forbid the
possibility of consenting loving relationships, and the
second recognizes the punishment of appropriate sexual
expression as a form of sexual abuse.
Chapter 2:
This chapter focuses on the importance of sex education.
Hingsburger insists that sex education must “begin early and
teach . . . the things that all children need to learn in order
to be safe, feel good about, and understand themselves as
sexual beings” (20).
Chapter 3:
This chapter discusses the link between power and abuse.
Part Two
Availability:
website at www.diverse-city.com/display.htm
www.diverse-city.com/display.ht . Order online
through “The Store” link. Price: $15.00.
Type:
Length:
Chapter 4:
This chapter reminds us that abusers and victims can be
anybody. Just because someone may not “seem” to be an
abuser doesn’t mean he/she isn’t.
Chapter 5:
This chapter explores the reasons that people with
developmental disabilities are more vulnerable to abuse.
Hingsburger challenges his readers to play an active role in
“creating a means for people with disabilities to learn how
to meet affectional needs” (65).
The book also includes several visual aids, such as the Ring
of Safety, the Behavioral Indicators of Sexual Abuse chart,
and the Prison of Protection graphic.
Part Two
Author: Jacobson, Kay (Project Coordinator)
Title:
Toward a Better Tomorrow: Helping Mentally Handicapped People Stop the
Cycle of Violence and Abuse
Year:
Publisher:
1993
Medicine Hat Regional Association
for the Mentally Handicapped
Availability:
Contact the publisher at 412 - 3rd Street S.E.,
Medicine Hat AB, T1A 0H1. Or call (403) 527-3302.
Contact Person: Executive Director.
The publisher notes that all or parts of the manual
can be reprinted with permission. Therefore, you
may want to acquire the manual through a library or
interlibrary loan and simply copy the sections that
you want to use.
Audience:
This training manual is designed primarily as a
teaching resource to be used directly with individuals
with developmental disabilities. The publisher notes
that the manual “was designed to help front line
workers, volunteers, families, parents and the general
public understand the many aspects of abuse of the
mentally handicapped person and to give them ways
to teach prevention” (1).
The publisher’s idea of an appropriate audience
may be too broad. The manual provides a solid
material and instructional foundation for those who
are knowledgeable about and trained in teaching
techniques suitable for persons with developmental
disabilities. It does not suggest strategies for
educating people with developmental disabilities;
therefore, individuals who may not have this
knowledge (e.g. the general public, some parents,
some professionals) may not be able to use the
material effectively.
Description:
Written in 1993, this training manual uses the
term “mental handicap” instead of “developmental
disability.” Nonetheless, Toward a Better Tomorrow
is a useful resource. It covers a comprehensive variety
of topics that range from raising awareness about
Type: Training manual
Length: 91 pages, plus a sizable appendix with
resource and activity materials
appropriate and inappropriate touch to discussing the
ins and outs of financial abuse.
The authors point out that “Every attempt has been
made to write this manual in ‘plain simple’ language.
The activity sheets have been written to reflect the
developmental level” (2) of the audience.
Set-Up:
Published in a binder, Toward a Better Tomorrow
comprises eight sections. Five of these (sections two
to six) are training components that are designed to
empower individuals with developmental disabilities to
identify acceptable actions and inappropriate behaviours
and to say “no” to abusers.
Section One:
Introduction
Section Two:
Empowerment
Section Three:
Physical Abuse
Section Four:
Sexual Abuse
Section Five:
Emotional Abuse
Section Six:
Financial & Material Abuse
Section Seven:
Legal Issues & Reporting
Section Eight:
Appendix
The introduction provides background information
on the development of the training manual as well
as information for the facilitator regarding language
used in the document, issues related to disclosure
and confidentiality, and facilitator and participant
considerations.
The sections that address physical, sexual, and financial
and material abuse each begin with a “True/False”
The section on “Legal Issues” identifies the
responsibilities of, and potential courses of actions
to be taken by, those who witness or are informed of
abuse committed against people with developmental
disabilities. The “Legal Issues” chapter also covers
reporting abuse and how to best provide support to
those who have experienced abuse.
The Appendix contains resource materials (e.g. pictures,
graphs, diagrams, phrases, and activities) intended
to teach individuals with developmental disabilities
to better distinguish between normal and abusive
situations. For example, charts of the male and female
body are provided to identify “good touch” areas and
“private” or “don’t touch” areas (depending on context).
These charts, paired with sheets that list characteristic
symptoms of abuse, may also serve to document abuse
should it occur or be occurring.
As well, the appendix contains a list of support services,
resources, and references. It is worth noting that this
work was published in 1993 and that resources and
reference materials have likely changed considerably in
the last decade.
Part Two
questionnaire that is followed by a few pages that
provide answers and explanations. These are followed
by 3–4 lesson plans specific to each subject area.
These three chapters, along with the one that addresses
emotional abuse, also include a brief review of the
empowerment chapter located at the beginning of the
manual.
Part Two
Author: Kempton, Winnifred
Title:
Life Horizons I
Year:
Publisher:
1988
James Stanfield Publishing Co.,
Santa Barbara, CA
Availability:
Contact the publisher at 1-800-421-6534. Or visit
their website at www.stanfield.com.
Price: $399.00 (US).
Audience:
These materials are for teachers or counsellors who
work with people “who have difficulty learning”
about “the various aspects of human sexuality” (i).
The author notes, “If we must label our students,
we would include people who are developmentally,
intellectually, emotionally and mentally disabled.
People who are dually diagnosed or multihandicapped” should also benefit from this program
(ii).
Description:
Life Horizons I focuses on “the physiological and
psychological aspects of sexuality and socialization”
(i). The materials consist of five sets of slides and a
teaching guide that provides a script for the instructor
to use with the slides. The author emphasizes the
flexibility the slide format gives to the teacher. By
previewing the slides, the instructor can pick and
choose the areas that are most appropriate for a
variety of audiences.
Some of the slides are explicit and may make viewers
(or teachers) uncomfortable. In the introductory
slide for each section, the author offers this advice:
“The programs are distributed in slide format so that
they can be edited to conform to student levels of
understanding and community standards of taste.
Please preview before presenting to students” (31).
In order to provide a sense of some of the topics
presented in the slides, a sampling of slide titles are
included in the section descriptions below.
Type:
Length:
Teacher’s Guide with Slides
85 pages
Set-Up:
Life Horizons I consists of six sections. They are:
Preface
The preface provides a detailed overview of the
materials and also discusses Life Horizons II
II, a
companion resource that follows the same format as
Life Horizons I. (See note at bottom of this entry.)
The preface also provides a detailed, step-by-step
explanation of how to most effectively use the slides
and the accompanying “script.” Essentially, the scripts
outline what the teacher should say as each slide is
shown to the student(s). The language in the script is
clear, straight-forward, and sensitive to its audience. For
example, in the first set of slides (Parts of the Body), the
fourth slide is a picture of a man and woman. The script
for the teacher reads:
Who would like to tell me what you see in this picture?
How are these two people different? (Point out male,
female.) We are going to show you pictures of people
like this, and talk about how they differ and how they
are the same. (2)
Then the teacher is directed to go to the next slide and
read the accompanying script.
The preface also contains tips and strategies for keeping
student attention, involving students in the lesson, and
reinforcing the information learned. It provides ideas
for how to use the slides for one-on-one counselling
and how to edit the slides. This section emphasizes
that teachers need to teach only short sections of
the curriculum at a time because there is too much
information in each section to cover in a single time
period. In many ways, the preface is a “how-to manual”
for the program.
The Sexual Life Cycle
This section explains the changes that people’s
bodies undergo as they grow. The student learns how
these changes affect people on a day-to-day basis.
Some of the slide titles in this section are: Babies
Being Diapered, Going to School, Underarm Care,
Female Internal Organs, Talking with Friends About
Menstruation, Sexual Feelings – Male, Growing Facial
Hair, and Masturbation. There are 113 slides in this set.
Human Reproduction
The set of slides for this section “tells the story of how
babies are conceived, develop during pregnancy, and
are born” (30). Some of the slide titles in this section
are: Babies in Nursery, Female Reproductive Organs,
Male Reproductive Organs, Foreplay, Couple Having
Intercourse, View of Vagina Just Before Birth, and
Doctor Suctioning Baby’s Mouth. There are 74 slides in
this set.
Birth Control
This section describes the main methods of birth
control used by sexually active persons. Some of the
slide titles in this section are: Discussing Birth Control,
The Internal (Pelvic) Exam, Close Up of Examination,
The IUD, Buying Condoms, The Vasectomy, and
Alternatives to Unwanted Pregnancy. There are 82
slides in this set.
Sexual/Reproductive Health
This section deals with various sexually transmitted
diseases as well as the links between “general good
health and sexual aspects of the body” (63). The
content is technical, and the author notes, “Because
of the complicated content and terminology of the
medical field, some of the information in this set of
slides may be uninteresting and too difficult for your
lower functioning students to absorb. This series may
be used as a background for personal use and only
show the slides dealing with the simpler concepts”
(63). Some of the slide titles in this section are: Care
of the Sex Organs, A Testicle Exam, Pelvic Exam
– The Examining Table, Kidney Problems, Prevention
of Vaginal Infections, Later Symptoms and Dying of
AIDS, and Herpes. There are 119 slides in this set.
Notes:
Life Horizons II (same author and publisher) addresses
the “moral, social, and legal aspects of sexuality” (i).
The materials follow the same format as Life Horizons
I. If you are interested in Life Horizons II
II, a brief
description can be found on the publisher’s website
(see address above). Length: 108 pages. Cost: $399.00
(US).
A video accompanies a more recent edition of Life
Horizons I. Contact the publisher for details (see
above).
Part Two
Parts of the Body
This section accompanies the first set of slides. It is
factual and contains basic information for identifying
men and women. It also explains how people should
care for their bodies, and it discusses “in a broader
sense, the meaning of being male and female” (ii).
Some of the slide titles in this section are: Male
Partially Dressed, Circumcised and Uncircumcised
Penises, Nude Woman, and Girl on Toilet. There are 39
slides in this set.
Part Two
Author: MacLean, Laura Hutchison (Project Coordinator)
Title:
Admissible in Court: Interviewing Witnesses
Who Live with Disabilities
Year:
Publisher:
1998
Hutchison MacLean Productions,
Lethbridge, AB
Availability:
Contact the publisher at 111 - 23rd St. South,
Lethbridge AB, T1K 2K5
Audience:
This video has been developed to train police officers
and police investigators who will or are likely to
come into contact with individuals with physical
and/or developmental disabilities who have been
sexually or physically abused. It might also be of use
to lawyers and prosecutors who work in the criminal
justice system.
Description/Set-Up:
The Script:
The document that accompanies this video is,
primarily, the script for the video. It provides
a transcript of all comments, voiceovers, and
conversations, as well as brief descriptions of the
interactions represented in the video.
Additional sections in the script include:
• Summaries drawn from each of the seven sections
of the video
• A needs assessment that an interviewer should
complete before meeting with a victim–witness
who has a disability
• A section called “Coles’ Notes” that “represents
an edited and sometimes paraphrased synopsis” of
Walter Coles’ 1997 article “Interviewing Persons
with Disabilities: An Investigational Report”
• A list of references
• Suggested readings
• An evaluation form with which to assess
Admissible in Court
The Video:
This video identifies several issues that police
officers and police investigators must be aware
Type:
Length:
Video and Script
1 hr. 48 minutes
of when dealing with “victim–witnesses” who have
physical and/or developmental disabilities and
have been sexually or physically abused. Designed
specifically as a training tool, Admissible in Court
incorporates the commentary of several professionals
who have worked with people with physical and/or
developmental disabilities. These figures include a
community development advocate, a former RCMP
officer with considerable investigative experience
in sexual abuse cases, a speech pathologist, a public
speaker with a physical disability, a university professor
who specializes in the sociology of physical and
developmental disabilities, and a chief prosecutor.
The Admissible in Court video explores elements
that affect the healthy development of self-concept
and social interaction of people with physical and/or
developmental disabilities – particularly the influences
that can result from living in institutional settings,
which tend to foster compliance. It identifies areas of
social interaction in which police and investigating
officers must be sensitive to their ability to influence
victim–witnesses. By wearing civilian clothes,
for example, and respecting the fears, concerns,
abilities, and contributions of the victim–witness, an
investigating officer can increase the probability that he
or she will be perceived as an advocate and not merely
as an authority figure who must be obeyed.
The particular nature of the vulnerability of people
with physical and/or developmental disabilities is
also explored, including the comparative isolation of
individuals with a disability and their greater reliance on
the assistance of others in their lives.
The advice and information provided in this video about
what steps are necessary to prepare for and interact with
victim–witnesses (and their non-offending caregivers) is
very practical, compelling, and instructive.
Author: Maksym, Diane
Title:
Adolescents and Adults who Have a Mental Handicap
Year:
Publisher:
1990
Type:
Length:
Book
181 pages
and their experiences with their children’s social and
physical development. In addition, the work includes their
questions and conundrums about teaching children to cope
appropriately with particular social interactions and social and
physical development.
Audience:
This guide evolved out of a project to “train parent
educators to help groups of parents […]. to become
influential in the sexuality education of their children”
(preface). As such, this resource is directed at parents
of children and adolescents who have a developmental
disability.
Set-Up:
Shared Feelings has a detailed table of contents that
provides a precise guide to chapter titles and important
subsections. The chapter headings are:
This guide would also likely be of use to professionals
in the health care field who work with and provide
information to parents of children and adolescents who
have a developmental disability.
Description:
The strength of Shared Feelings lies primarily in its
concentration on how parents can interact with their children
with developmental disabilities in ways that increase each
child’s sense of self-confidence and understanding of
social boundaries. The tone of the work is understanding,
encouraging, and non-judgmental.
The book has one chapter on the issue of abuse, but
otherwise is a tool for teaching children the skills that will
serve them well in reducing the risk of abuse in their lives. The
book teaches parents how to establish and increase a child’s
knowledge and understanding of what constitutes acceptable
social practices and topics of conversation. It also educates
parents about how to teach social skills and how to strengthen
a child’s ability to understand what his or her feelings are
in a given situation and then decide what is right for him or
her to do in response. All of these skills will contribute to the
development of a more confident individual, who is able to
assess and respond to violent or inappropriate situations.
Throughout, Shared Feelings includes the comments of
many parents about their own self-discovery, the situations
and challenges they have confronted with their children,
Chapter 1:
Chapter 2:
Chapter 3:
Chapter 4:
Chapter 5:
Chapter 6:
Chapter 7:
Chapter 8:
How Do You Feel?
Putting Sexuality into Perspective
Listening and Talking
Teaching Social Skills
Talking to Children about Bodies and
Feelings
Decisions
Facts about STDs
Sexual Abuse
Several of these chapters provide summaries, in
bulleted form, of the key information they have
presented.
Part Two
Availability:
Contact the publisher at (416) 661-9611;
TDD (416) 661-2023; 1-800-856-2207. Or visit their
website at www.roeher.ca. The book can be ordered
online. Price: $16.00, plus discounts for bulk purchases.
Chapter 2, “Putting Sexuality into Perspective,” seems
particularly unique/useful, primarily because not many
of the documents in this inventory are directed specifically
at parents (only Dave Hingsburger’s I Openers). Chapter 2
initially focuses on the steps parents must make mentally
and behaviourally to understand the sexuality of their
children as normal. It does so by asking individuals to
reflect on how they learned about their own sexuality, an
evolution that “include[s] how we feel about ourselves as
male or female, how we feel about our social role as man
or woman, and how we feel about our relationships with
others of our own or the opposite sex” (17).
Lists of additional reading suggestions, in English or
French, are provided “For Parents,” “For Children,” for
“Young Teens,” and for “Older Teens and Young Adults.
A list of References concludes the work.
Part Two
Author: Masuda, Shirley
Title: Don’t Tell Me to Take a Hot Bath: Resource Manual for Crisis Workers
Year:
Publisher:
1995
Canada, North Bay, ON
Availability:
For information about this resource, check the
DAWN Canada website at www.dawncanada.net.
Audience:
The author states that “This manual is written for
suicide crisis workers” (15). However, its focus is not
on “telling” the crisis workers “how to do their jobs”
(15). Instead, it attempts to help them “understand
what it is like to have a disability” (15). The hope
is that raising awareness will help to improve the
services that women with disabilities receive from
crisis workers. Many professionals who work with
persons with disabilities would benefit from the
manual.
Description:
In preparing this publication, DAWN surveyed 225
women with disabilities. “Although 60.6 % of the
women surveyed thought about suicide and 45% of
those women attempted suicide, none of the women
wanted to die” (16). These statistics emphasize the
importance of the crisis intervention worker in the
lives of women with disabilities.
Through various research projects, DAWN learned
that “In the past, women with disabilities have
received help from crisis telephone workers and from
counsellors at crisis centres. They felt the help fell
short because of their disabilities” (15). The hope for
this manual is that having women with disabilities
share their stories and experiences with crisis workers
will increase the latter’s understanding, leading
to improved crisis counselling for women with
disabilities.
The author encourages crisis service providers to use
this manual as a self-study guide. She explains, “The
onus [is] on you to educate yourselves about how to
become more accessible to women with disabilities
Type:
Length:
Resource Manual
159 pages
on the crisis line and in person-to-person or group
counselling” (15).
Set-Up:
The manual is divided into five sections. The
introductory information and the appendices
concentrate on background information and details that
are required in this type of project, but they are not as
relevant to the crisis worker. Sections Two, Three, and
Four focus on the goal of helping the crisis worker to
“understand what it is like to have a disability” (15) and
therefore provide the most relevant information.
Section One: Introductory Information
This section includes acknowledgements, research
guidelines, advisory committee member names, preface,
researcher’s note, introduction, and recommendations.
Section Two: The Women Speak
This section interweaves the stories of ten women with
disabilities who have had suicidal thoughts.
Section Three: Don’t Tell Me to Take a Hot Bath
This section discusses the needs of women with
disabilities who are seeking help, ways in which
counselling can address these needs, and ways of
helping women with disabilities build support networks
in the community.
Section Four: Who We Are
This section provides an overview of types of
disabilities and raises the reader’s awareness about the
unique situations that affect the lives of people with
these disabilities.
Section Five: Appendices
Six separate appendices provide the following
information: research methodology, organizations that
assisted with the project, a discussion of current suicide
issues, a list of disability organizations, bibliography,
and endnotes.
Author: Maurer, Erna Wine (producer)
Breaking Point
Year:
Producer:
1994
Wise Owl Productions in
cooperation with The Generation
Availability:
Inquiries regarding the video should be addressed to the
distributor: Kinetic Inc., 408 Dundas St. East, Toronto
ON, M5A 2A5. Telephone: (416) 963-5979;
Fax: (416) 925-0653. Preview videos will be sent upon
request.
Audience:
This video would benefit any family caregivers, persons
training as paid caregivers, and people who know
someone who is providing care to a family member.
Description:
In this video, Nancy Hansen describes her own
“breaking point” in the care she provided for her
Type:
Length:
Connection Society, Vancouver
Video
22 minutes
mother, who had suffered a stroke. Nancy cared for
her mother for several months before seeking help, but
found herself increasingly abusive of her mother. She
describes the anger she felt at the time, and the guilt and
remorse she now feels are evident throughout the video.
In Breaking Point, Nancy bravely tells her story. She
is, we assume, at her home as she narrates her own
deterioration and the escalating violence as she provides
24-hour care for her mother (who has since passed
away). The video encourages people who are providing
care to seek assistance if they find they are unable to
cope with the role they’ve been asked to fulfill.
Part Two
Title:
Part Two
Author: McPherson, Cathy
Title:
Responding to the Abuse of People with Disabilities
Year:
Publisher:
1990
Advocacy Resource Centre for
the Handicapped (ARCH),
Availability:
The publisher notes that this booklet can be reprinted
in its entirety, with permission. You may acquire the
booklet through a library or interlibrary loan.
Audience:
The introduction notes that “This manual is designed
to help those who have contact with people with
disabilities respond to situations of abuse. […] It is
our hope that this manual will assist those in contact
with disabled victims to help them deal with the
abuse and overcome the experience to become a
‘survivor’ ” (Introduction).
The phrase “those in contact with” could refer to
professionals (counsellors, rehabilitation workers, and
caregivers), family members, or friends.
Description:
This booklet uses clear, simple language to raise
awareness about the increased vulnerability to abuse
of people with disabilities. It also outlines what action
to take should you suspect, or know, that abuse is
occurring.
The logical, visually-appealing set-up of this booklet,
along with its sensitivity to its audience, makes it a
very useful tool. Along with the usual, quite practical
headings (What is Abuse? Indicators of Abuse, etc.),
this booklet contains headings and subheadings
that acknowledge that abuse involves sensitive
and devastating circumstances for the individuals
experiencing abuse. For example, sections of the
booklet emphasize confidentiality, the right of people
with disabilities to experience affection and make
decisions about sexual activity, and the importance of
listening.
Set-Up:
While the Table of Contents introduces us to a number
of topics, the booklet is essentially divided into two
Type:
Length:
Toronto, ON
Booklet
34 pages
parts: content on disability and abuse, and a resource
section.
Disability and Abuse Section:
This section outlines pertinent definitions and indicators
of abuse, a step-by-step approach to addressing abuse, and
a flow chart that explains the steps in the legal process.
These last two components are particularly practical and
are, as with the rest of the booklet, sensitively written.
The step-by-step approach explains, in very practical
terms, what action to take should “a person with a
disability choose to tell you about abuse, or [should] you
have evidence that abuse has taken place” (6). Sidebars
outline the actions to take, while further content offers
advice on how to compassionately assist the person
who has undergone such a traumatic situation. For
example, under the subheading “Listen to the Individual,”
McPherson writes,
Make sure that you let the person tell you what
happened. Don’t put words in the victim’s mouth. . .
You can reassure and offer refreshment or other small
courtesies to relax the individual. “Make sure you tell
the individual disclosing the abuse that they are not
bad or responsible for what happened. Find out
what they want and need. But do not promise to keep
it a secret. You have a responsibility to inform the
proper authorities.” (8)
The flowchart presents a clear, visual aid that explains
how the criminal justice system deals with assault.
Resources Section:
This section includes two pages listing other resources,
six pages outlining contact organizations, and an eightpage appendix summarizing the laws pertaining to
assault, sexual assault, sexual abuse, and provision of
evidence. Since this is a 1990 publication, some of the
information may be outdated.
Author: Moorey, Kelli
Title:
Orientation to Disability for Crisis Service Providers
Year:
Publisher:
2001
The Independent Living
Resource Centre of Calgary
Audience:
This manual offers guidance to crisis service providers
so that they can design and provide fully accessible
services to individuals with a range of disabilities.
This resource would also be suitable for laypersons
and professionals who want to better understand “the
specific issues that persons with disabilities face when
dealing with crises such as crime, violence and/or
abusive situations” (7).
The manual could provide a group facilitator with
useful background information on this topic, but the
intent seems to be more one of independent study. By
reading the document, a crisis service provider will
become more aware of the situations of people with
disabilities.
Description:
As an “orientation manual,” this document provides
general information about a range of subjects intended
to raise awareness about the issues and barriers that
people with disabilities face in crisis situations. This
work emerges from an Independent Living (IL)
perspective that values and promotes a consumercontrol model. This model upholds the principle
that those who use services provided for people with
developmental or physical disabilities should exercise
control over “what services they have access to and how
these are delivered” (10).
Orientation manual
113 pages
Set-Up:
The first three sections of the manual provide
introductory information (Table of Contents,
Acknowledgements, About This Manual). The last two
sections of the manual contain appendices with charts,
graphs, and practical information for service providers,
as well as a reference section. The main content is
provided in the middle six sections. These sections are:
Part D:
Introduction to Independent Living
Part E:
Statistics
Part F:
Relationships Between Myths, Barriers,
and Risks
Part G:
What is Accessibility?
Part H:
A Safe and Supportive Community
Project
Part I:
Toward Change
Part Two
Availability:
Call (403) 263-6880 to order (available to crisis service
providers).
Type:
Length:
The discussion of the “Relationship between Myths,
Barriers and Risks” (pp. 21-40) that affects individuals
with disabilities is particularly well-developed as it
goes beyond simply outlining the myths. This section
outlines different kinds of barriers (i.e., communication,
social, physical, financial, and self-esteem barriers)
that confront individuals, and it also presents reallife or hypothetical examples of events that seek to
explain how socio-cultural beliefs stifle and/or isolate
individuals with disabilities.
The manual is cleanly and professionally formatted,
contributing to the accessibility of the content. Tabs
with subheadings also make the manual an easy-to-use
reference.
Part Two
Author: Peel Regional Police
Title:
Hear, Here: Identifying and Supporting People with Developmental
Disabilities Who Have Been Abused
Year:
Producer:
1997
Richmond Hill, ON
Availability:
Contact Diverse City Press, Inc. at BM 272, 33 des
Floralies, Eastman, Québec J0E 1P0.
Telephone: (514) 297-3080.
Audience:
Early in the video, the audience is identified as
“police officers and child abuse investigators” who
will be working with people with developmental
disabilities. The video would also be useful to others
who work with or care for people with developmental
disabilities.
Description:
This video is set up as a question and answer session
between three individuals: Jim Craig, a police
officer with Peel Regional Police; Michelle Burns,
a behaviour therapist at Mississauga Hospital;
and Dave Hingsburger, a counselor who has been
working with people with developmental disabilities
since 1975. For the most part, Craig and Burns ask
Hingsburger questions related to the issue of the
abuse of people with developmental disabilities.
Type:
Length:
Video
35 minutes
Hingsburger responds to questions regarding
vulnerability, communication, definitions, myths,
warning signs, and disclosure. Many of the ideas he
shares are those discussed in his book Just Say Know
(see entry in this inventory). However, his ideas are
re-shaped somewhat so that they are practical and
relevant to this particular audience – police officers or
child abuse investigators. For example, he explains how
many people with disabilities have not been taught how
to say “no.” Therefore, a police officer speaking with
such a person about an abusive situation should avoid
questions that require yes or no answers, because people
who are uncertain of the answer may answer “yes” if
that is how they’ve been taught to respond.
This video is a very useful resource. It covers the
primary issues discussed in many publications
(disclosure, indicators, etc.), but the question and
answer format it uses makes it a particularly good
training tool. For busy professionals, staff, and
volunteers, it may be easier to watch this video and talk
about it than to read about the same topics.
Author: Phillips, Cassandra
Title:
Working Effectively with Persons with Disabilities Against Crime
Year:
Publisher:
2000
Independent Living Centres,
Audience:
In the preamble, the publisher notes, “This curriculum guide
is aimed at front-line professionals [in crime prevention] and
can be inserted into any federal, provincial, or regional formal
training program for police service workers, firefighters,
home care workers, ambulance workers, etc.” (3). The guide
also uses the term “first responders” to refer to this group of
professionals.
Description:
In this guide, the Canadian Association of Independent Living
Centres asserts the value of the trend toward community
policing in crime prevention. However, CAILC also points
out that people with disabilities have been largely left out of
this shift toward a more “proactive, collaborative approach”
to policing. This guide aims to address this situation by
providing crime prevention professionals with some of the
information they need to make community policing more
inclusive. CAILC states, “It is only by opening up the lines
of communication between community advocacy groups,
people with disabilities, police and victim services, and allied
professionals that crime prevention initiatives will succeed” (3).
CAILC suggests the material in the curriculum can be used by
individuals who seek to improve their knowledge and awareness
of disability issues or by a facilitator in a classroom setting. If a
classroom setting is used, the publisher encourages the facilitator
to invite “community advocates, victim service agencies, and
persons with disabilities to participate” (3). This way, the first
responders to crime will have an opportunity to directly interact
with people with disabilities. This will begin the process of
breaking down stereotypes and destroying the myths that shape
societal and individual perceptions of people with disabilities.
Set-Up:
Twenty three headings divide the information in the guide, but
these can be grouped into four sections as follows:
1. This section covers general information about disabilities
and disability issues, including violence against people with
disabilities. The headings in this section are:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Working Effectively with Disabilities Against Crime
Learning Objectives
Statistical Overview
Introduction
Disability and the Law
What is a Disability?
Words of Dignity
Attitudes and Myths about Persons with Disabilities
Changing Attitudes and Independent Living
Distinct Issues Facing Persons with Disabilities and
Crime
• Disclosure
2. This section covers specific information intended to
guide first responders when interacting with individuals
with disabilities who have experienced crime. This section
provides practical tips and suggestions for first responders.
The headings in this section are:
Part Two
Availability:
An HTML version of the guide is available at
www.cailc.ca/CAILC/graphic/publications/calicpublications/
www.cailc.ca/CAILC/
/graphic/publications/calicpublications/
pubs_e.html. It can also be ordered from the CAILC
website as part of a larger tool kit of materials. Click on the
“Publications” icon for order information. Cost of tool kit:
$65.00.
Type:
Length:
Ottawa, ON
Curriculum Guide
25 pages
• Key Points to Remember When Taking Information
from a Person with a Disability
• Communicating with Someone Who Has a Hearing
Impairment
• Communicating with Someone Who Has a Visual
Impairment
• Communicating with Someone Who Has a Mobility
Impairment
• Communicating with Someone Who Has a Speech
Impairment
• Communicating with Someone Who Has a History
of Mental Illness
• Communicating with Someone Who Has a
Developmental Disability
• Communicating with Someone Who Has a Brain
Injury
• The Role of First Responders in Crime
Prevention
• Conclusion
sample scenario. It offers group facilitator options
for in-class activities. (Overheads and graphics are
not provided in the HTML version of the
publication.). This section covers:
• Self-Examination
3. This section provides teaching materials that
include questions for discussion, activities, and a
4. This section includes additional resources regarding
disability issues and crime:
Part Two
• Bibliography
Author: Rappaport, S. R., Burkhardt, S. A., & Rotatori, A. F.
Title:
Child Sexual Abuse Curriculum for the Developmentally Disabled
Year:
Publisher:
1997
Charles C. Thomas, Ltd.,
Springfield, ON
Audience:
This book identifies its primary audience as “special
education teachers, social workers, nurses, and
psychologists who provide services to children with
developmental disabilities. A secondary audience
is administrators and other educators who provide
consultation and program development services
for agencies and schools who serve children with
developmental disabilities” (ix).
In general, the content is aimed at professionals but
may also be of use to adults interested in learning about
the circumstances and prevalence of the sexual abuse
of children with developmental disabilities, treatments
for such children, the short- and long-term effects of
sexual abuse, and the effects of the age and gender of
the children abused.
Description:
Produced by three persons with PhDs in psychology,
Child Sexual Abuse Curriculum for the Developmentally
Disabled is a well-written and thorough guide for
professionals involved in teaching children with
developmental disabilities how to avoid sexual abuse.
As the information in the “Set-Up” section below
indicates, the work seeks to be comprehensive in its
approach, focusing on the causes of child sexual abuse,
the treatment of children who have been abused, the
effects that such abuse commonly has on children, and
how the effects are mediated by factors such as age and
gender. The work has a decidedly academic tone and
approach to the material that it addresses; it also reflects
an astute understanding of the complexities and nuances
of the subject on which it is focused.
Book
156 pages, including two
appendices and a list of references
Sexual abuse prevention programs for children with
developmental disabilities are charged with the difficult
task of focusing on sexual abuse as a negative example
of sexual behavior [sic] while preserving a positive
image of sexuality. At the same time, the programs must
teach at the developmental and social reasoning level of
children with developmental disabilities. (viii)
The authors focus on teaching children with
developmental disabilities about sexual abuse
prevention skills at a level consistent with their
reasoning abilities.
While relatively compact in length, Child Sexual Abuse
Curriculum makes a conscientious effort to address the
many elements that contribute to child sexual abuse,
different contexts in which abuse is prevalent (i.e.
familial, institutional), the consequences and treatment
of abuse, and its prevention through the provision of an
educational curriculum that is specific to children with
Given the prevalence of sexual abuse committed
against children with developmental disabilities, the
book’s discussion of the long-term effects of childhood
sexual abuse will also be of interest to those working
with adults who have developmental disabilities and
report, or are known to have had, abusive experiences
as children.
This book is an excellent training resource even though
it is more detailed than many of the others in this
inventory.
Set-Up:
Chapter 1:
Understanding Child Sexual Abuse of the
Developmentally Disabled
In the preface, the authors acknowledge the following
about sexual abuse prevention programs:
Part Two
Availability:
Contact the publisher at 2600 South First Street,
Springfield IL, 62794-9265 USA.
Type:
Length:
Chapter 2:
The Treatment of Sexually Abused Children
Chapter 3:
Sexual Abuse: The Emotional and Behavioural
Sequelae
Chapter 4:
Factors that Mediate the Sequelae of Child Sexual
Abuse
Part Two
Chapter 5:
The Rappaport Curriculum for the Prevention of
Child Sexual Abuse in Children with Developmental
Disabilities (See note below.)
Appendix A:
Includes Parent/Caretaker Review Sheets and
Introduction to Prevention Lessons
Appendix B:
Includes Safety Stories to be used with lessons 6–10 in
Chapter 5.
Note: Chapter 5 and the two appendices teach
children with or without developmental disabilities
about their bodies, puberty, and sexuality. These
sections, with their focus on training, are the reasons
this somewhat academic document is included in
our inventory. The sections aim to instruct children
about rules and methods they can use to distinguish
between and determine what constitutes appropriate
and inappropriate touching based on social context,
location, body parts, and the person or people involved.
Authors: Rogow, Sally and Julie Hass
Year:
Producer:
The Person Within: Preventing Abuse of Children and Young People
with Disabilities
1999
British Columbia Institute Against
Family Violence, Vancouver, BC
Availability:
To order a video and handbook, contact the British
Columbia Institute Against Family Violence at
(604) 669-7055. Or visit their website at www.bcifv.org.
Click on “Publications” and then scroll down to “Video
Packages.” Price: $50.00, or $7.00 for handbook only.
Audience:
The video and handbook are directed at people with
disabilities, their advocates, and a general audience.
Description:
Both the video and the handbook are informative
resources about the abuse of children and young
people with disabilities. This resource asks people to
look at the person within rather than at the disability.
It provides statistics on the abuse of children with
disabilities and attempts to educate people about their
own prejudices, the extent of abuse, and the long-term
effects of abuse on children as they develop.
Set-Up:
The handbook provides brief introductory information,
an appendix that defines disability-related terms,
an outline of British Columbia’s child protection
legislation, and a list of resources. The main content is
in four central sections. These are:
Type:
Video and Handbook
Length:
Video: 28 minutes
Handbook: 45 pages
disabilities. It explains “Legal and Protection Issues”
and the procedures that need to be followed when abuse
is reported. It also discusses “Helping Children Who
Have Been Abused” and explains that children who
have suffered abuse require treatment. The handbook
encourages the development of accepting, nurturing
foster care environments, which can be key in helping
children with disabilities who have been abused,
sometimes repeatedly, to learn to trust again and to
build a positive self-image.
Part Three: A Framework for Prevention
This section makes recommendations for the
prevention of child abuse. It includes “Considerations
for Caregiving” and focuses on the various settings
in which children with disabilities are found, such as
schools and clinical institutions. It offers preventive
strategies, such as advocacy and the empowerment of
children to protect themselves. This section concludes
that children and young people with disabilities have
the same rights to protection and respect as other
children and young people.
Part Four: Questions to Ask:
This section provides parents with the questions they
should/could ask about their child’s care and progress
in different care settings, or in their research for an
appropriate care setting.
Part One: Abuse of Children and Young People with
Disabilities
This section discusses the historical move from large
institutions, where children were often isolated and
neglected, to the smaller, community-based institutions
that are designed to alleviate these problems.
Information is provided on “Family and Caregiver
Stress,” “Conflicts between Parents and Professionals,”
and “Issues in Specialized Care.”
The Video:
The video includes discussion by community-care
providers, professors, and families of children and
young people with disabilities. The professionals
provide the background information about the cyclical
nature of abuse by caregivers and discuss the factors
that increase a child’s vulnerability: segregation,
isolation, or marginalization in institutions.
Part Two: When Abuse and Neglect Occur
This section explains the effects and the impact of
abuse and neglect on children and young people with
The families provide a compassionate viewpoint as we
see them interacting with their children, discussing the
difficulties within the system. Often these difficulties
Part Two
Title:
stem from caregivers who regard the child as a
representative of their disability rather than as an
individual with opinions about the world. One mother
says, “You need to learn to accept your children so
they can learn to accept themselves.”
Part Two
Overall, this resource is effective in creating
awareness of and compassion for children and young
people who suffer abuse. It examines the historical
background of the systems that are in place today, to
show both the progress that has been made, and the
progress that still needs to be made. The handbook
is effective in considering the difficulties of being a
caregiver to a disabled child, and in examining the
issue from various points of view (i.e., children with
disabilities, their families, caregivers, and institutions).
Author: Schweir, Karin Melberg.
Title:
Sexuality: Your Sons and Daughters with Intellectual Disabilities
Year:
Publisher:
2000
Paul H. Brookes, Baltimore,
Maryland
Audience:
This book is directed specifically at parents who have
a child/children of any age with a developmental
disability, but for “all concerned about preparing
children who have challenges for the sometimes cruel
world, this book is a MUST” (ix).
Description:
The premise of this book is that “everyone needs to be
treated with respect and understanding, and in that way,
we learn to attend to all our needs, including sexuality,
in a proper and private way” (ix).
The book recognizes the central role that parents play in
their children’s development, and parents from a variety
of backgrounds and family situations are the primary
contributors to this book. These families share their
experiences so that other families can learn from their
successes and their mistakes. By sharing their own fears
and joys, these families guide readers in the decisions
they will be making with their children.
Book
196 pages, plus references, index,
and recommended reading list
Set-Up:
The book is divided into eight chapters. The first three
provide introductory and background information, and
the remaining five focus on the different stages that
parents will encounter in a child’s developing sexuality.
The eight chapters are:
Chapter 1:
Your Journey
Chapter 2:
Your Guides
Chapter 3:
A Place to Start
Chapter 4:
Hold Me Tight
Chapter 5:
Put Me Down
Chapter 6:
Leave Me Alone
Chapter 7:
Let Me Go
Chapter 8:
A New Future for You and Your Child
Chapter 3 introduces the reader to the twenty families
who will share their stories and experiences throughout
the book. Chapters 4 through 7 provide the reader with
a mix of anecdotes, exercises, checklists, and question
and answer sections, all of which focus on various
topics related to sexuality and healthy self-concept.
Part Two
Availability:
Contact the publisher at Box 10624, Baltimore,
Maryland. Or visit their website at
www.brookespublishing.com.
Type:
Length:
Part Two
Author: Sisters of Charity of Ottawa Health Service Inc.
Title:
Abuse Prevention in Long Term Care
Year:
Publisher:
1997
Sisters of Charity of Ottawa
Health Service Inc.
Availability:
For information on the videos, call the National Film
Board of Canada at 1-800-267-7710. Price: $39.00.
Audience:
The videos and manual are directed at facilitators
who wish to run an information session or a support
group for residents, staff, and families of residents in
long-term care facilities.
Description:
This resource outlines and provides the materials
for facilitating discussions about abuse and its
prevention in long-term care. The manual and the
videos provide complete module plans, including
supporting overheads and handouts. The content
covers definition and prevention of abuse and neglect,
and ways to foster a supportive and respectful
environment in long-term care facilities. The modules
are clear, and they consider the needs of residents,
staff, and families of residents in long-term care. The
manual is clearly written and well-organized. Ideally,
a facilitator would work module-by-module through
all of the topics, showing segments from the videos
and following up with a guided group discussion.
However, the manual is also designed for facilitators
who must select only a few modules.
Set-Up:
The facilitator’s binder consists of an Introduction,
nine Modules, Appendices, Overheads, and
Handouts. The introduction provides background
information, advice, and suggestions for facilitators
about how to best set up and select modules, work
with the videos, and use handouts and overheads.
The overheads and handouts highlight the important
points in the discussion and provide supplementary
information to the modules. The appendices include
contact information, resource lists, and evaluation
forms. Each of the nine modules includes module
Type: Facilitator’s Guide and 2 videos
Length: Facilitator’s manual: 106 pages, plus
overheads and handouts
Each video: 22 minutes
goals, a list of supporting materials (referring to the
handouts and overheads provided in the binder), topics
for discussion, and a list of selected resources. The
modules are:
Module 1:
Defining Abuse and Neglect
Module 2:
Intervention
Module 3:
Resident Rights and Responsibilities
Module 4:
Advocacy and Conflict Resolution
Module 5:
Preventing Abuse and Neglect
Module 6:
Fostering a Supportive and Respectful
Environment
Module 7:
Responding to Losses and Grief
Module 8:
Resident Empowerment
Module 9:
Effective Communication and
Interactions Within Long Term Care
The Videos:
The first video, “Abuse and Neglect in Long Term
Care: Intervention and Prevention,” defines abuse and
explains that abuse and neglect are complex social
problems. Long-term care residents have to give up a
lot of control over their personal care when they enter
an institution. The video lists different types of abuse—
financial, sexual, psychological, neglect, medical,
physical, systemic, and civil rights—and then provides
an on-screen definition of each kind of abuse, and
shows a dramatization of that type of abuse.
The second video, “Abuse and Prevention in Long
Term Care: Fostering a Supportive and Respectful
Environment in Long Term Care,” involves long-term
to wear or helping them make a phone call. It suggests
that feelings of powerlessness can be overcome by
making decisions, expressing individuality, speaking
for oneself, caring for oneself, and having a sense of
purpose. The video also looks at the social, physical,
and organizational environments of the facilities to
show positive examples of long-term care facilities and
ways of improving conditions for residents.
Part Two
residents speaking about how they felt moving into a
long-term care facility, about losing their independence
and their health all at once, and about adjusting and
adapting to the new rules and routines of an institution.
The video defines a supportive environment as one that
builds on people’s strengths and abilities by providing
good physical care and emotional support. The video
encourages long-term care staff to allow residents some
control, by letting them choose which clothes they want
Part Two
Author: Sobsey, Dick
Title:
Family Violence Against People with Intellectual Disabilities
Year:
Publisher:
2002
Availability:
PDF and HTML versions available on line at
www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hppb/familyviolence. As well, the
booklet can be copied, with acknowledgements, as
long as it is not for a commercial purpose. Available
in alternate formats upon request.
Audience:
People who support or work with people with
developmental disabilities. This could include
caregivers, parents, friends, service providers,
Description:
This booklet provides basic information about family
violence and people with intellectual disabilities. The
tone is straightforward, and the material is presented
clearly and concisely. Intellectual disability and
related terms are defined early in the booklet. This
addresses some of the questions the reader may have
about how the term intellectual disability differs
from terms like developmental disability, learning
disability, cognitive impairment, etc. A person has an
Type:
Length:
Booklet/pamphlet
13 pages
intellectual disability “if there are limitations affecting
several areas of cognitive function to a degree that
interferes with the demands of daily life” (1).
As with other National Clearinghouse booklets, the
material here is quite introductory. It raises awareness
of the issue and provides a good starting point for those
who want to learn about violence against people with
intellectual disabilities. The extensive suggested reading
list and the sources used in developing the document
provide additional pertinent information.
Set-Up:
The first eight pages provide the content, and the last
four outline further readings and publication details.
The document is cleanly and simply formatted. Clear
headings are used to divide the information into short,
well-structured pieces of information. Major headings
are: Prevalence, Related Terms, Other Disabilities,
Family Violence, Varieties of Violence, Connections
[between violence and disability], Implications,
Intervention, and Research.
Author: Ticoll, Miriam
Title:
No More Victims: A Manual to Guide Families and Friends in Addressing the
Sexual Abuse of People with a Mental Handicap
Year:
Publisher:
1992
Audience:
The manual describes itself as being “designed for
people who work with, are friends with, or have as a
family member, a person who has a mental handicap. It
is equally meant for people who, as professionals, come
into contact with individuals with a mental handicap
who are survivors of sexual abuse” (1).
This manual would also be an excellent resource
for anyone with an interest in learning more about
the conditions and circumstances that facilitate and
contribute to the sexual abuse of individuals with
intellectual disabilities.
Description:
Written in 1992, this publication uses the term “mental
handicap” instead of “developmental disability,” but the
content remains relevant today. In the hope that “this
manual will provide insight into the lives of people with
a mental handicap” (1), No More Victims presents a
wide range of factual and statistical information about
the housing, living conditions, and income situations
of those with developmental disabilities. As one book
in a series of similar works (see note at end of this
entry), the series acknowledges that in order to achieve
positive changes in the effective prevention of sexual
abuse of people living with a developmental disability,
“cooperation and coordination” among all parties is
required.
The manual provides practical definitions of relevant
terms and general information about where and how
people with developmental disabilities live. It also
includes first-person stories that relate distressing tales
of abuse, and related or subsequent encounters with care
Information manual
97 pages, including five
appendices
facilities and social, legal, or medical service workers
and departments. Some relevant newspaper stories and
articles culled from journals are also included in the
volume.
Set-Up:
After a brief introduction, this manual is divided into 13
sections and 5 appendices. The sections are:
Section 1:
Introduction
Section 2:
About Mental Handicap
Section 3:
Facts About Sexual Abuse
Section 4:
Facts About People with a Mental
Handicap and Sexual Abuse
Section 5:
Signs of Sexual Abuse
Section 6:
The Law and Sexual Abuse
Section 7:
Principles to Guide the Prevention of
Sexual Abuse of People with a Mental
Handicap
Section 8:
Sex Education and Personal Safety
Education
Section 9:
Prevention of Sexual Abuse in Group
Homes, Institutions and Other
Residential Settings
Section 10:
What to Do in the Case of Abuse
Section 11:
Community Resources
Section 12:
Accessibility of Community Services
Section 13:
Developing an Action Plan: A
Checklist
Part Two
Availability:
Contact the publisher at (416) 661-9611;
TDD (416) 661-2023; 1-800-856-2207. Or visit their
website at www.roeher.ca. The manual can be ordered
online. Price: $10.00, plus discounts for bulk purchases.
Type:
Length:
The appendices include the following:
Appendix 1: Nova Scotia Protocol
Appendix 2: Additional Resources
Appendix 3: Myths about Assaults Against Persons
with a Mental Handicap
Appendix 4: Exercises and Discussion Question for
Instructors
Part Two
Appendix 5: Community Living 2000: A New
Vision
Although this is an excellent general resource, the
date of publication (1992) should be considered when
consulting the statistical information and reference
materials.
Note:
The other titles in the series are:
No More Victims: A Manual to Guide the Police in
Addressing the Sexual Abuse of People with a Mental
Handicap ($10.00)
No More Victims: A Manual to Guide the Legal
Community in Addressing the Sexual Abuse of People
with a Mental Handicap ($10.00)
No More Victims: A Manual to Guide Counsellors
and Social Workers in Addressing the Sexual Abuse of
People with a Mental Handicap ($10.00)
Author: Walker-Hirsch, Leslie and Marklyn P. Champagne
Title:
Circles: Intimacy and Relationships
Year:
Publisher:
1993
Santa Barbara, CA
Audience:
This resource is for teachers, counsellors, or other
professionals working in ongoing situations with
teenagers or young adults with developmental
disabilities.
Description:
The Circles: Intimacy and Relationships curriculum
aims to teach students with developmental disabilities
the “concepts of personal space, social distance, and
social/sexual concepts” (1). The authors state that the
curriculum “uses principles of behaviour psychology
and proven techniques in special education that help
the students to generalize their learning across many
settings: school, home, social, and vocational” (1).
The “circles concept” uses six, color-coded, concentric
circles to teach students about social distance and levels
of intimacy: “Starting from the center circle, which is
the self, each new coloured circle represents behaviours,
feelings, and actions appropriate to the distance from
the center or self” (1). The authors, who have worked
as “teachers, counsellors, consultants, and practitioners”
strive to provide a curriculum that encourages “selfrespect and autonomy” and thereby “a sense of personal
well-being for the student” (1). They describe the circles
concept as a “roadmap to follow in social situations.”
Set-Up:
The curriculum is a flexible program, and the service
providers using it are encouraged to adapt the lessons to
meet the specific needs of each class/individual. Within
each lesson, activities can be chosen that are suitable for
students with a variety of learning abilities. The “three
T’s” (Touch, Talk, and Trust) are used in each lesson as
a way of identifying the “behavioural, cognitive, and
affective components of a relationship” (5).
Teacher’s Guide and Videos
Guide: 105 pages
12 videos of varying length
The curriculum is divided into three major parts:
Part One:
Relationships (11 lessons)
Part Two:
Relationship Building (5 lessons)
Part Three:
Topics in Sexuality Education
(13 lessons)
Video components accompany the lessons taught in
the first two parts. Each lesson begins with a story
that is on the video tape. Then, the teacher/instructor
is guided through a step-by-step lesson that includes
program goals, recommended methodology, activities,
evaluation, support activities, and options for more
advanced students. Part Three does not have a video
component. All three parts rely on “multi-sensory,
experiential, and individualized strategies as the basis
for each learning opportunity” (4).
Part Two
Availability:
Contact the publisher at 1-800-421-6534. Or visit their
website at www.stanfield.com. Price: $399.00 (US).
Type:
Length:
The Videos:
The videos provide students (and teachers) with stories
of “high interest and low complexity.” The videos
(6 for Part One and 6 for Part Two) consist of minidramas that enact the concepts introduced in each
lesson. For example, the first lesson in Part One
establishes the importance of each individual being at
the centre of his/her circle. Susan, the speaker in the
first segment of the video, “stresses her own self-worth
and her individuality” and emphasizes the importance
of the private centre of her circle. The videos reinforce
the “touch, talk, and trust” approach to identifying types
of relationships. They also use clear language and a
caring tone.
Note: A more recent edition of Circles: Intimacy and
Relationships is now available from the publisher.
To find out how it differs from the 1993 edition call
the publisher, or visit their website (see above under
Availability).
Part Two
Author: Walker-Hirsch, Leslie and Marklyn P. Champagne
Title:
Circles: Stop Abuse
Year:
Publisher:
1993
Santa Barbara, CA
Availability:
Contact the publisher at 1-800-421-6534. Or visit
their website at www.stanfield.com. Price: $499.00
(US) for the newest version called Circles II: Stop
Abuse.
Type:
Length:
Teacher’s Guide and Videos
Guide: 47 pages
3 videos of varying length
aims to achieve are that students will:
1. Recognize potentially exploitative situations and
relationships.
2. Assert themselves calmly to re-establish appropriate
mutuality.
3. Take action for self-protection, if exploitation should
occur.
4. Act decisively in removing themselves from
threatening situations.
5. Tell a trusted or safe person.
Audience:
This resource is for teachers, counsellors, or other
professionals working in an ongoing manner with
teenagers or young adults with developmental
disabilities. If these materials are used, keep in mind
that the program could lead to disclosure of abusive
incidents. Support must be in place should this occur. Set-Up:
The Guide:
Description:
The guide is divided into two parts. Each part includes
The guide and videos encourage service providers
a step-by-step lesson that includes program goals,
to recognize the increased vulnerability of people
recommended methodology, and activities. Video
with developmental disabilities and to teach them
components accompany the lessons.
how to “recognize and consequently avoid sexually
threatening or abusive situations” (5). The authors
Part One: Recognizing and Reacting to Sexual
have worked with students with disabilities in a
Exploitation
number of settings, as teachers, counsellors, and
This section encourages students to be assertive.
practitioners. They apply the “circles concept,”
Through activities and role play, students are taught to
outlined in Circles: Intimacy and Relationships (see recognize and react to sexual exploitation occurring
index), to guide teachers and students in creating a
in close relationships with dates, close friends, and
safer community.
relatives. Students learn that if certain types of touching
make them feel uncomfortable, they don’t have to let
The “circles concept” provides students with
the touching continue.
developmental disabilities a tool to help learn about
personal space, social distance, and social/sexual
Part Two: Learning Appropriate Protective
concepts. This teaching model uses six, color-coded, Behaviours
concentric circles to teach students about social
This section focuses on “the potential for sexual abuse
distance and levels of intimacy: “Starting from the
from acquaintances and strangers.” Again, students are
center circle, which is the self, each new coloured
taught how to identify inappropriate behaviour and how
circle represents behaviours, feelings, and actions
to respond to these behaviours.
appropriate to the distance from the center or self”
(Circles: Intimacy and Relationships, p. 1). In
The Videos:
Circles: Stop Abuse, these concepts are used to “teach The videos depict twelve different “potentially
students to recognize, and therefore influence, the
exploitative situations” (5). The stories, which are told
outcome of potentially exploitative situations” (5).
The teaching objectives (p. 5) that the curriculum
Part Two
by students with developmental disabilities, illustrate
step-by-step strategies for recognizing and responding
to potentially threatening situations. Each of the stories
corresponds to a particular lesson in the curriculum. The
authors describe the scenarios: “In each story, another
person exhibits behaviour which the student feels is
exploitative. A ‘calm stop’ is shown as the first attempt
to curtail the exploitative behaviour, and if that is not
effective, the student illustrates a ‘loud stop’ ” (5).
Appendix: Additional Training/Awareness-raising Materials
In developing this inventory, ACCD consulted other works than the ones selected. We did not include everything
we reviewed because some materials did not focus particularly on training, some were no longer available, and
some provided information that was outdated. The following lists include some of these materials.
Resources
DisAbled Women’s Network. Ontario. (1997). Annotated bibliography of available literature and resources & a
statement of need report. Retrieved December 12, 2003, from http://dawn.thot.net/project2.htm
t
t/project2.htm
O’Leary, J. (1997). Disability, violence and preventions resources: An annotated bibliography. Toronto, ON:
Centre for Independent Living in Toronto.
Sobsey, D., Gray, S., Wells, D., Pyper, D., & Reimer-Heck, B. (1991). Disability, sexuality, and abuse: An
annotated bibliography. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.
Sobsey, D., Wells, D., Lucaride, R., & Mansell, S. (1995). Violence and disability: An annotated bibliography.
Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.
The Roeher Institute. (1995). Violence in institutional facilities against persons with disabilities: A literature
review. Ottawa, ON: Department of Justice, Research, Statistics and Evaluation Directorate, Civil Law and
Corporate Management Sector.
Ticoll, M. (1994). Violence and people with disabilities: A review of the literature. Ottawa, ON: National
Clearinghouse on Family Violence.
Other Relevant Inventories
Gorkoff, K., Proulx, J., & Comaskey, B. (2000). Prevention of the abuse of seniors: Canadian training guides.
Ottawa, ON: Health Canada.
Indexes
Federal, Provincial, Territorial Senior Status of Women Officials. (1996). Beyond the violence: Reaching for
higher ground. Whitehorse, YK: Health Canada.
Abuse of Children with Disabilities .............. ........................................................................................page 50
Being Sexual: An Illustrated Series on Sexuality and Relationships
Volume 11: Sexuality and Physical Disability ................................................................................page 24
Being Sexual: An Illustrated Series on Sexuality and Relationships
Volume 15: Sexual Abuse .................................................................................................................page 25
CDSS (Canadian Down Syndrome Society) Information Series: Explaining Privacy to Children ...................page 23
Circles: Intimacy and Relationships ......................................................................................................page 81
Easy Prey ................................................................................................................................................page 14
through Understanding and Video...................................................................................................page 19
Just Say Know: Understanding and Reducing the Risk of Sexual Victimization
of People with Developmental Disabilities .....................................................................................page 57
Disabilities– A Learning Guide .......................................................................................................page 46
No! How .................................................................................................................................................page 15
Sexual Abuse of People with a Mental Handicap ...........................................................................page 79
Safety for You ..........................................................................................................................................page 29
Sexual Abuse Prevention: Five Safety Rules for Persons who are Mentally Handicapped .................. page 39
Sexual Abuse Prevention for Children with Physical Handicaps .........................................................page 41
Indexes
Title Index
Indexes
Adolescents and Adults who Have a Mental Handicap ..................................................................page 63
Written by Young People with Disabilities ......................................................................................page 12
in Service to People with Developmental Disabilities ....................................................................page 51
Cycle of Violence and Abuse ............................................................................................................page 58
through Understanding and Video ..................................................................................................page 20
Violence Against Women with Disabilities: Practical Considerations for Health
Care Professionals ...........................................................................................................................page 43
Violence Can Happen to You ..................................................................................................................page 30
Disabilities in Shelters and Sexual Assault Centres........................................................................page 49
Type of Material Index
Booklet/Pamphlets
Abuse of Children with Disabilities .............. ........................................................................................page 50
After You Tell ..........................................................................................................................................page 22
CDSS (Canadian Down Syndrome Society) Information Series: Explaining Privacy to Children .........................
.........................page
page 23
Family Violence Against Women with Disabilities ................................................................................page 28
Sexual Abuse Prevention for Children with Physical Handicaps (accompanied by video) .................page 41
Written by Young People with Disabilities ......................................................................................page 12
The Right to Control What Happens to Your Body: A Straightforward Guide to
Issues of Sexuality and Sexual Abuse .....................................................................................................page 32
Violence Against Women with Disabilities: Practical Considerations for Health
Care Professionals ...........................................................................................................................page 43
Books/Guidebooks
Being Sexual: An Illustrated Series on Sexuality and Relationships, Volume 11:
Sexuality and Physical Disability (refers to other volumes in series) ............................................page 24
Volume 15: Sexual Abuse (also lists other volumes in series).................................... ...................page 25
Charting New Waters: Responding to Violence Against Women with
Disabilities (accompanied by video) ...............................................................................................page 47
Child Sexual Abuse Curriculum for the Developmentally Disabled ....................................................page 71
Double Jeopardy: Women with Disabilities Talk about Abuse and Barriers They
Face (accompanied by video) ..........................................................................................................page 13
Hand Made Love: A Guide for Teaching about Male Masturbation through
Understanding and Video ................................................................................................................page 19
Just Say Know: Understanding and Reducing the Risk of Sexual Victimization of
People with Developmental Disabilities..........................................................................................page 57
Adolescents and Adults Who Have a Mental Handicap .................................................................page 63
in Service to People with Developmental Disabilities (accompanied by video) ............................page 51
The Person Within: Preventing Abuse of Children and Young People with
Disabilities (accompanied by video) ...............................................................................................page 73
Understanding and Video (accompanied by video) ........................................................................page 20
Abuse Prevention in Long Term Care (accompanied by video) ............................................................page 76
Circles: Intimacy and Relationships (accompanied by videos) ............................................................page 81
Circles: Stop Abuse (accompanied by videos) ......................................................................................page 82
Life Horizons I .......................................................................................................................................page 60
Disabilities–A Learning Guide ........................................................................................................page 46
Sexual Abuse of People with a Mental Handicap ...........................................................................page 79
Sexual Abuse Prevention: Five Safety Rules for Persons who are Mentally
Handicapped (accompanied by instructor’s manual).....................................................................page 39
Cycle of Violence and Abuse ............................................................................................................page 58
Disabilities in Shelters and Sexual Assault Centres........................................................................page 49
Videos
Abuse Prevention in Long Term Care (accompanied by manual).........................................................page 76
Admissible in Court: Interviewing Witnesses Who Live with Disabilities (accompanied by script) ....page 62
Indexes
Curriculum
Indexes
Charting New Waters: Responding to Violence Against Women with Disabilities
(accompanied by guide)...................................................................................................................page 47
Circles: Intimacy and Relationships (accompanied by manual) ..........................................................page 81
Circles: Stop Abuse (accompanied by manual) .....................................................................................page 82
Double Jeopardy: Women with Disabilities Talk about Abuse and Barriers They
Face (accompanied by handbook)...................................................................................................page 13
Easy Prey ................................................................................................................................................page 14
Hand Made Love: A Guide for Teaching about Male Masturbation through
Understanding and Video (accompanied by guide) ........................................................................page 19
Who Have Been Abused ..................................................................................................................page 68
No! How .................................................................................................................................................page 15
Safety for You ..........................................................................................................................................page 29
Sexual Abuse Prevention: Five Safety Rules for Persons who are Mentally
Handicapped (accompanied by instructor’s manual).....................................................................page 39
Sexual Abuse Prevention for Children with Physical Handicaps (accompanied by pamphlet) ...........page 41
The Ethics of Touch: Establishing and Maintaining Appropriate Boundaries in
Service to People with Developmental Disabilities (accompanied by guide) ................................page 51
The Person Within: Preventing Abuse of Children and Young People with
Disabilities (accompanied by handbook) ........................................................................................page 73
Toward Intimacy ....................................................................................................................................page 27
Understanding and Video (accompanied by guidebook) ................................................................page 20
Violence Can Happen to You ..................................................................................................................page 30
administrators, 71
advocates for abuse prevention, 30
advocates of people with disabilities, 16, 22, 73. See also
self-advocates
ambulance workers, 69
caregivers, 11, 56-57, 68, 78
children and youth, 50, 55
paid, 10, 27-28, 46
professional support, 42
sexuality and sexual abuse issues, 31-32
trainees, 65
unpaid. See family; friends
women with disabilities, 47
caretakers in facilities, 55
deaf or hearing impaired, 17
counsellors, 11, 20, 56-57, 60, 81-82
co-workers, 79
crime prevention professionals, 69
crisis management workers, 64, 67
disability support professionals, 13
elderly. See older individuals
facilitators, 18, 49, 67, 76
family members, 46
building relationships, 18-19, 27
as caregivers, 42, 57-58, 65
role in abuse prevention, 79
See also parents
firefighters, 69
friends and neighbours, 28, 46, 78
abuse intervention, 66
abuse prevention, 50, 79
as caregivers, 42, 57
building relationships, 18
general interest
abuse, 29, 58, 73
birth control, 26
Blissymbols, 26
diversity, 18
leadership, 16
relationships, 18, 25, 26
safety skills, 46
sexual abuse, 14, 25-26
sexuality, 24-26
supporters, 46
violence against women, 10
group facilitators. See facilitators
health care professionals, 27, 43, 63
home care workers, 69
investigators, child abuse, 68
legal professionals, 47-48, 62
medical professionals, 44
men, 19, 20
neighbors. See friends and neighbours
nurses, 71
older individuals, 31
parents, 31-32, 58, 75, 78
children and youth, 23, 50, 55, 63
safety skills, 11
women with disabilities, 27-28
people who have been abused, 29-31
people with disabilities,
abuse, 22, 31, 73
bridging differences, 18
development disabilities, 19-21, 32, 79
deaf or hearing impaired, 17, 29, 30
leadership, 16
physical disabilities, 26, 41
progressive disease, 42
sexuality, 31-32
women, 10, 13, 27
physicians. See medical professionals
police and police services, 47, 62, 68, 69
professionals, 18, 64, 67, 71, 79
health care. See health care professionals
working with teens or young adults, 81-82
psychologists, 11, 71
rehabilitation workers, 20, 27
self-advocates, 46
service providers, 28, 47, 50, 78
shelter staff members, 49
social workers, 11, 28, 46-47, 50, 71, 78
students, 18
teachers, 39, 53, 78
children and youth, 11, 41, 50
deaf or hearing impaired, 17
sex education, 20, 60
teenagers and young adults, 81-82
women with disabilities, 28
teachers in facilities, 55
teachers, general, 71
teachers, special education, 71
victims services, 47-49
volunteers, 18, 42, 58
women, 10, 13, 27
women’s groups, 27
workers, 19, 51, 68
front-line, 57, 58
ambulance. See ambulance workers
crisis management. See crisis management workers
home care. See home care workers
rehabilitation, See rehabilitation workers
service. See service workers
social. See social workers
See also medical professionals; professionals; teachers
young adults, 15
youth workers, 45
Indexes
Suggested Audience Index
Indexes
Subject Index
A
abuse, 68
assault, 66
by caregivers, 65
definitions, 68
disclosure and reporting, 50, 58-59, 68
by family members, 28-30, 78
first-person stories, 79
intervention, 76
long-term care, 76-77
legal issues, 58-59
myths, 68
neglect, 46, 73, 76
prevention, 11, 16, 18, 28, 50, 76-77, 82
relationship to power, 57, 77
responsibility, 66
types, 12, 30, 76
warning signs, 68
See also children and youths, abuse; women, abuse;
vulnerability
abuse, emotional, 30, 58-59
abuse, financial and material, 58-59
abuse, physical, 58-59
abuse, sexual, 14, 25-26, 32-33, 57-59, 63, 79-80
definition, 17
disclosure and reporting, 14, 17, 22, 25
developmental disabilities, 32-33, 39-40, 57
effects, 32
by family, 17
judicial process, 22
law enforcement, 33, 79
medical examinations, 25
myths, 32, 80
physical disabilities, 41
prevention, 15, 32, 39, 41, 71, 79
school, 17
systemic causes, 57
young adults, 15
See also children and youth, sexual abuse
abusers and victims, 14, 57
ACCD. See Alberta Committee of Citizens with
Disabilities
accessibility, 49, 67, 80
adolescence, 25, 55. See also menstruation
advocacy, 76. See also self-advocacy
Advocacy Resource Centre for the Handicapped
(ARCH), 66
affection. See love
Agency for Instructional Technology, 39, 41
AIDS and HIV, 20, 26, 61
Alberta Committee of Citizens with Disabilities (ACCD),
10
American Sign Language (ASL), 17, 29, 30
ARCH. See Advocacy Resource Centre for the
Handicapped
assistance. See support
authority, 56
autonomy, 81
awareness-raising, 6-7, 34, 64
abuse, 46
children and youth, 74
crisis situations, 64, 67
disability issues, 69
domestic violence, 78
health services, 43
personal safety, 31
self-concept, 56
sexual abuse, 14, 39, 57
sexuality and sexual health, 44-45, 54
touching, 58
violence against women, 10, 13, 28, 43, 49
vulnerability, 66
B
Bacon, Joanne, 43
Barrett, Michael, 24
barriers, 67
systemic and personal, 47-48
See also accessibility
Basson, Rosemary, 44
BCIFV, See British Columbia Institute Against Family
Violence
behaviour
and developmental disabilities, 53
public and private, 39-40
See also boundaries
beliefs
religious, See religious beliefs and concerns
socio-cultural, 67
bigotry, See prejudice
birth control, 24, 26, 61. See also condoms
Blissymbols and Blissymbolics, 22, 24, 25-26
body, 63
care, 60-61
female and male, 25
private parts, 40-41
boundaries, 15, 45, 54
personal, 17
social, 63
See also body, private parts; privacy
C
Canadian Association of Independent Living Centres
(CAILC), 12, 13, 69-70
Canadian Down Syndrome Society, 23
Canadian Filmmakers Distribution West, 17
Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ
CMAJ), 44
Capital Region Centre for the Hearing Impaired, 29, 30
caregivers and caregiving, 10, 42, 46
problems and challenges, 73-74
resources and assistance, 65
specialized care, 73
See also long-term care
Champagne, Marklyn P. See Walker-Hirsch, Leslie
Chapman, Connie, 47-48
Charles C. Thomas, Ltd., 71
children and youth
abuse, 11, 12, 50, 63, 68, 73-74
long-term effects of abuse, 71, 73
sexual abuse, 15, 41, 63, 71-72
See also abuse, children and youth; abuse, sexual,
children and youth; sexuality; teaching; vulnerability
chronic illness, 42. See also long-term care
circles concept, 81, 82
communication, 24, 45, 63, 68
developmental disability, 69-70
listening, 66
long-term care, 76
See also disabilities
community, 67, 79-80
development, 18, 64
policing, 69
See also relationships
condom use, 20-21
confidence, 16-18, 24, 63
development, 11
experiences of women, 27
conflicts
resolution, 76
parents and professionals, 73
consumer voice, 13
consumer-control model. See Independent Living
contact. See human contact; touching
contraceptives. See birth control; condom use; human
reproduction
conversation, 63
counselling, 64
Cowichan Valley Independent Living Resource Centre, 18
crime prevention, 69-70
crisis service providers, 64, 67
CTV (television network), 14
curriculum development, 11
D
dating, 55
DAWN. See DisAbled Women’s Network
deafness, 17
abuse issues, 29-30
communication with professionals, 69
dignity, 69
disabilities, 47, 64, 69
barriers, 16
brain injury and communication, 69
communication with professionals, 69
education, 53
family violence, 78
myths, 28, 67, 69
sexual abuse, 57, 71-72
sexuality, 60-61, 75
speech impairment and communication, 69
statistics, 79
youth and young adults, 81, 82-83
disabilities, developmental, 55, 58-59
paid caregivers, 54
disabilities, intellectual, 78
disability rights, 16
DisAbled Women’s Network (DAWN), 43, 49, 64
Diverse City Press, Inc., 15, 19, 20, 51, 53, 57, 68
E
Eastcott, Doris Rajan, 49
emotions. See feelings
empowerment, 58, 76
ethical dilemmas, 20
F
family planning. See birth control
family violence. See abuse
Family Support Institute Press, 55
feelings, 11, 15, 24, 45, 63
Frazee, Catherine, 50
freedom, personal, 77
freedoms. See rights and freedoms
friendship, 24, 27
Indexes
brain injury and communication. See disabilities
Briggs, Freda, 11
British Columbia Institute Against Family Violence
(BCIFV), 45, 73-74
British Columbia Ministry for Children and Families, 46
brochures, availability, 10
Brown, Jacqueline, 46
Burkhardt, S. A. See Rappaport, S. R.
Burlie, John, 12
Burns, Michelle, 68
Indexes
G
L
gay and lesbian issues. See same-sex relationships
gender, 61
Generation Connection Society. See Wise Owl
Productions
Greater Vancouver Association of the Deaf, 17
Gosselin, Marc, 12
leadership, 16
legal system and law enforcement, 69
reporting abuse, 73
violence against women, 13
witnesses with developmental disabilities, 62
literacy, 22
living conditions, 79
long-term care, 51, 56
abuse prevention, 76-77
institutional policies, 57
sexual abuse, 79
loss and grief, 76
love, 27, 54, 66. See also dating; relationships
Ludwig, Susan E., 22-25
H
Harber, Mary, 51
Harrington, Ruth, 22
Hass, Julie, 73
Health Bill of Rights, 43
health care, 43
urogenital, 61
women, 43-44
Hill, Linda D., 18
Hingsburger, Dave, 19, 20-21, 25-26, 51-57
HIV. See AIDS and HIV
homosexuality. See same-sex relationships
housing, 79
human contact, 54
human reproduction, 26, 61
Hutchison MacLean Productions, 62
I
income situations, 79
independence, 31, 53
independent living (IL), 67, 69
Independent Living Resource Centre of Calgary, 67
individuality, 81
intellectual disability. See disability, intellectual
International Leadership Conference for Persons with
Disabilities, 16
interpersonal skills. See relationships
intimacy, 27, 81
isolation, 27, 62
J
Jacobson, Kay, 58
James Stanfield Publishing Co., 60, 81-82
Justice Institute of British Columbia, 47
K
Kempton, Winnifred, 60-61
Kinetic Inc., 39, 41, 65
M
MacKinley, Gayle, 12
MacLean, Laura Hutchison, 62
Maksym, Diane, 63
masturbation
female, 26
male, 19, 26
myths, 19
See also privacy
Masuda, Shirley, 64
Maurer, Erna Wine, 65
McGee, Debbie, 27
McPherson, Cathy, 66
Medicine Hat Regional Association for the Mentally
Handicapped, 58
menstruation, 55
mental handicap. See disability, developmental
Mental Health Aspects of Developmental Disabilities, 54,
56
Mirenda, Pat, 46
mobility, 69
Mobility International U.S.A., 16
Moorey, Kelli, 67
multiple sclerosis (MS), 42
N
National Clearinghouse on Family Violence, 28, 50, 78
National Film Board of Canada (NFB), 27
neglect. See abuse, neglect
Nova Scotia, 80
O
older individuals, 26
outdoor activities, 16
Paisley Jr. Secondary School, Yearbook Committee, 17
parents
children with developmental disability, 75
interaction with children, 63
involvement in sexual abuse prevention, 39
role in sex education, 63, 75
See also children and youth
Pathmanathan, Sricamalan, 12
Paul H. Brookes (Publisher), 11, 75
peace of mind, 17
Peel Regional Police, 68
personal care, 51
personal development. See independence; self-esteem
personal safety. See safety, personal
personal space, 81, 82. See also boundaries; privacy
pets, 55
Phillips, Cassandra, 69
physical limitations, 24
Planned Parenthood Association of Cincinnati, 39, 41
Poirier, Ambrose, 12
power, personal. See abuse, relationship to power
prejudice, 56, 69
privacy, 19, 23-24, 51, 54
psychiatric disorder, 69
puberty. See adolescence; menstruation; sexuality
R
Rappaport, S. R., & Burkhardt, S. A., 71
reinforcers, 53
relationships, 18
between parents, children and staff, 56
between staff and people with disabilities, 51
families, 56
loving, 57
professional, 54
rejection, 24
sexual, 25, 45, 63
social and sexual concepts, 81-82
social practices and skills, 63
women, 27
See also community; dating; pets; same-sex
relationships; social activities; support
religious beliefs and concerns, 55
reproduction, human, 61
rights
freedoms, 46
privileges, 27, 51, 73
reponsibilities, 76
risks, 67. See also vulnerability
Rivers-Moore, Bridget, 28
Roeher Institute, 32, 63, 79
Rogow, Sally, 73
Rotatori, A. F. See Rappaport, S. R.
S
safety, personal, 31, 41
safety skills, 82-83
adults, 31
developmental disabilities, 51-52
sexual abuse, 71-72
same-sex relationships, 26, 29-30
Schweir, Karin Melberg, 75
Seeley, Patricia, 50
self-advocacy, 16, 26, 31
self-concept, 56, 62, 75, 77
self-esteem, self-respect, 18, 27, 30, 53, 81
See also confidence
self-protection. See safety skills
services
accessibility, 49, 67
deafness and hearing impairment, 29
developmental disabilities, 71-72
domestic violence, 29
Sex Information and Education Council of Canada
(SIECCAN), 22, 24-25
sexual assault. See abuse, sexual
sexuality, 26-27, 32, 39-40, 54
children and youth, 45, 55, 63, 75, 81
developmental disabilities, 60-61, 63
education, 11, 63, 79
life cycle, 26, 61
men, 19, 20-21
myths and assumptions, 44, 57
physical disabilities, 24
positive image, 71
sexual activity, 26, 66
sexual health, 44, 61
sexual identity, 56
women, 27, 44
sexually transmitted diseases (STD), 26, 33, 61, 63. See
also AIDS and HIV
shelters and assault centres, 29, 49
Shiels, Raymond, 12
Shuell, Darrell. See Medicine Hat Regional Association
for the Mentally Handicapped
SIECCAN. See Sex Information and Education Council
of Canada
sign language. See American Sign Language
Sisters of Charity of Ottawa Health Service Inc., 76
Small, Christine, 12
SME Productions, 42
Sobsey, Dick, 11, 77
social activities, 24, 62
Indexes
P
social distance, 81-82
social work, social workers, 46
socialization, 60-61, 68
special education. See teaching, children and youth
speech impairment. See disabilities
STDs. See sexually transmitted diseases
stereotypes. See prejudice
Storr, Jinny, 22
street-proofing. See safety skills
stress, 73
success, 56
suicide, 64
support, 62, 76-77
groups, 30
networks, 42, 64
See also independence
T
Indexes
teaching, 16, 26
developmental disabilities, 53
learning strategies, 53, 55
privacy, concept, 23
safety skills, 11
sex education, 19, 45, 55, 57, 63, 81
sexual abuse, 39, 41
using data, 53
Thompson, Glen, 12
threatening situations, 82-83
Ticoll, Miriam, 79
touching, 11
appropriate and inappropriate, 17, 39, 58-59, 72
non-sexual, 51-52
sexual, 24
See also boundaries; human contact; privacy
travel, 18
U
University of Alberta’s Abuse and Disability Project, 11
V
Vida Publishing, 54, 56
violence. See abuse
vulnerability, 14, 28, 47-48, 57, 62, 68, 82
children and youth, 32, 50, 73
W
W5, 14
Walker-Hirsch, Leslie, 81-82
Weldon, Margrett, 12
Whittingham, James F., 22
Wise Owl Productions, 65
Wittingham, James F., 24-25
women
abuse, 10, 43, 47-49
disabilities, 49
health care, 43
myths about abuse, 13, 28
shelters, 13, 49
stories, 13
See also abuse, sexual
Wood, Claudia, 24-25
About the Alberta Committee of Citizens with Disabilities
Mission Statement
The Alberta Committee of Citizens with Disabilities is a
consumer-directed organization that actively promotes full participation
in society for Albertans with disabilities.
Our Guiding Principles
Full Participation
 We are committed to breaking down barriers which prevent society from
seeing beyond our disabilities so that we are included in all aspects of life.
 We will take charge of the social, political, and economic decisions that
affect our lives.
 We must be accountable for our actions.
 We must have choice in the services and supports we require.
 We acknowledge and accept the dignity of risk.
Accessibility
 All buildings and facilities must be accessible.
 Transportation, information, and communication services must meet our
diverse needs.
Equity
 We will be vigilant to ensure that our rights and freedoms are upheld.
 We claim our right to be equal while maintaining our individuality.
What the Alberta Committee of Citizens with Disabilities
(ACCD) Does
We are Alberta’s only provincial, cross-disability, public education organization connecting groups who
have common goals. Together we can speak with one voice on disability concerns and issues that affect
us all.
We handle a wide variety of requests for information from agencies, government departments, the
general public, and people with disabilities.
We support leadership development in Alberta’s communities so that local organizations can be agents
of change and be a part of the decision-making process close to home.
We develop presentations for schools, information fairs, corporations, service clubs, and community
groups. Our goal is to heighten awareness and understanding of people with disabilities living and
working in our communities.
Indexes
Since 1973, ACCD has worked hard to ensure that Albertans with disabilities are heard. Our work
supports equal opportunities in society for all Albertans including people with disabilities.
Indexes
We bring disability issues to the attention of our municipal, provincial, and federal elected
representatives. Our goal is to improve the quality of life of people with disabilities through legislative
and policy changes.
We work to ensure that everyone, including those of us with disabilities, have access to necessary
services. In order to participate fully in our communities, we must have equal access to health, housing,
education, employment, and transportation.
Our fundraising activities include bingos, casinos, and special events to raise funds that support our
work. We are grateful to our funders and our strong and dedicated core of volunteers who assist with
our fundraising projects.
We conduct research and facilitate projects that focus on disability-related issues. In doing so, we
always emphasize the importance of a consumer voice.
Together, We Hold the Power!
Contact Information
ACCD can be reached at:
#707, 10339 – 124 Street NW
Edmonton, Alberta
T5N 3W1
Phone:
Fax:
TTY:
Email:
Web:
(780) 488-9088
(780) 488-3757
(780) 488-9090
[email protected]
www.accd.net
Feedback Request
We hope you have found this inventory useful, and we would like to hear from you about your
experience using it. If you have suggestions on how to improve the document, ideas for entries
that have not been included, or stories about your experience with the materials or the inventory
itself, please let us know. Our contact information is provided above. Thank you!

Resource Directory.indd

Transcription

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